A Good Edd Is Hard To Find
by DuoXKouga
Summary: Summary: AU To BPS. Bro has a new dangerous game to play with Eddy and Edd. FULL SUMMARY AND WARNINGS INSIDE!
1. Hell Has No Fury Like A Bro Scorned

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Authors' Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: Hey everyone. Just a little heads up, this story is going to be extremely dark and it may be very triggering to some people who read this. If it upset you, please, exit the screen. We cannot stress this enough that what we're writing is very dark. I will state this though for those of you who do decide to read this, we don't condone any of the actions Bro is doing in this story. In the end, this is just story and is not real. In real life, we wouldn't want any this to happen to any child, but these things do happen unfortunately. We don't mean to upset anyone, but it's our decision to share this fanfic with everyone and we're not changing it._

_Battygirl: If I may add to what my cowriter has already stated, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you readers what 'triggering' means. It does not mean 'mildly offend' or 'bother'. A trigger is material (such as what we've listed in the warning list above) that may cause a post traumatic stress reaction. If you're just a little offended by what we've written, you're not being triggered. There's a very big difference. If any of the material listed above can genuinely trigger a post traumatic stress reaction in you, we highly recommend that you exit the page to avoid it. We are not looking to cause that reaction. However, if you just don't like what you're reading but don't have that reaction, we still kindly ask that you exit out of this page, but only because this story will never appeal to you. Get over it or get out._

_In addition to all of that, I'd like to take a moment to reinforce again what DuoXKouga stated in that we do not condone pedophilia or any of the other triggering material above except in fiction. And only when done right._

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><p>Chapter 1: Hell Has No Fury Like A Bro Scorned<p>

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><p>Edd stands in stunned horror as he witnesses Eddy's Brother twisting his sibling's leg inhumanely. He had never seen such cruelty done by an adult to a child. His hands shake as he watches the scene unfold before him and the lump in his throat grows larger as a heaviness settles in his stomach. Eddy's cries of 'uncle' ring in Edd's ears as the boy is set down, his leg spinning wildly as his brother howls with laughter.<p>

Eddy is picked up by his brother again and held at bay. The man strokes his goatee as Eddy attempts to negotiate entering the trailer behind them. For a moment, the man seems to consider it. Edd feels a rush of hope. Perhaps Eddy's torment had ended?

_SLAM!_

Edd cringes as Eddy is hurled against the door to the trailer, only to be picked up and thrown back. Over and over, Eddy is thrown like a baseball at the trailer door. Edd clutches at his hat, too stunned to react at the moment.

He looks to the other kids, searching their faces for help. Their expressions are a jumble. Nazz looks absolutely disgusted, her arms crossed and a scowl on her fair face. Kevin stands behind her, cowering and clinging to her arm. He's afraid. Edd understands completely.

He is just as frightened.

Rolf looks furious, his hands balled into fists as he glares at Bro's back. Edd chases after that hope; perhaps Rolf, with his inhuman strength, could stop this.

No. Rolf holds back. He's just as afraid as Kevin is.

His eyes drift a bit to the side, where the Kankers are holding their tallest sister at bay. Lee is struggling to attack Eddy's brother and save 'her man'. Edd wishes they would just let her go. He believes very strongly that the girl could save his friend.

He takes note of Sarah and Jimmy behind them as well. Jimmy is cowering behind her, his protector, and Sarah is watching in interest. Edd chooses to ignore the grin on her face, which seemed to indicate a sort of sick pleasure in Eddy's pain.

"Bro, give it up!" his attention is immediately drawn back to the brothers at the sound of Eddy's weary plea.

"Give it up?" The man delights in Eddy's pain and grins at the boy clinging desperately to his arm, "I thought you wanted to hang with your hero."

Eddy offers a pitiful whimper; "I do, Bro! I do!"

Edd shakes. He couldn't let this continue. His eyes are trained on Eddy's own fear-filled ones. He swallows his fear, his hands tightening into fists, as he takes his first step towards the beast before him. If the others wouldn't intervene, then he would. His heart thumps wildly in his chest as he slowly but surely closes the distance between them. His knees shake slightly as he stands just a foot away from the two brothers.

"Mister Eddy's Brother!" he cries, drawing their attention, "As the older sibling, don't you think you should rather be setting an example for Eddy," Edd's voice falters under the glare that is sent his way from Eddy's Brother who grins down at him. "And not…um…belittle him…in front of his…friends…?"

Eddy's Brother is quite amused as he leers down at the scrawny kid who had approached him. The kid had seemed ever so confident before he had been faced with that single glare — that shut him up real quick.

As Edd shrinks in on himself, he takes a moment to observe him. The boy before him trembles ever so slightly as his eyes nervously look towards Eddy who is attempting to escape from his grasp. The fear in this kid's eyes really is something to behold. He could see that Edd was trying his damnedest to be strong, to help his friend, but he was crumbling fast.

This just got interesting…

"Belittle? He's always been little!" Bro exclaims chuckling ever so slightly as he glances at his brother. Eddy is now desperately digging his way into the dirt behind him in an effort to escape like a trapped animal. He gives a firm yank, pulling Eddy from the ground and dangling him once again. His eyes settle back on Edd. "I like you, girlfriend."

Edd gives a small squeak as a large hand grabs his necktie, pulling him closer to the taller of the two. Bro leans down with a malicious grin as the boy whimpers; the offending material in the man's grasp tightening like a noose around the boy's small neck.

Bro leans in close to the boy in front of him, drawing Edd to tense up. He can feel the man's warm breath upon his face. His nose crinkles at the foul smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke that clung to the man. It makes him dizzy. He squirms in the man's grip. Eddy's brother is way too close for comfort! Bro's nose bumps Edd's when the boy tries to move away. A grin darkens the man's face as he realizes just how uncomfortable the boy is and speaks in a seductive purr, "You've got spunk."

Eddy looks at Edd before reaching a hand towards him, still clinging to his brother's arm. He has to get his brother to loosen his grip on his friend before anything happens to him! The movement draws attention from his savage sibling, however, and Bro grimaces as he pulls himself away from Edd again.

"Leave Double D alone!"

Cocking his brow, Bro glances in the direction of his trailer, where the last remaining Ed stands with an angry look on his face. Grinning, he rears back and throws his brother at the boy.

"Eddy!" Edd cries, momentarily forgetting his discomfort as he reaches after him.

Ed gasps and opens his arms in an effort to protect his friend from further harm. Eddy screams as he crashes into Ed's middle, knocking them both into the trailer. Ed's arms, which had wrapped protectively around Eddy, loosen their grip as Ed slumps over onto his side. Eddy lifts himself up weakly and turns to Ed. Panic races through his veins when he sees that Ed isn't moving. Wearily, Eddy pats his face in an effort to rouse him.

"Ed?" he whimpers, "Ed?!"

"Oh dear! Ed!" Edd cries, struggling desperately in Bro's grip.

From where he remained trapped, he could see Ed's chest slowly rising and falling, indicating that the boy was, in fact, alive. However, this did not stop Edd from trying to escape his captor to tend to his injured companions. Bro holds firm, however, and grabs Edd's upper arm.

"Not so fast, sweetheart," the man purrs, pulling Edd back to him.

Edd squirms more as his other hand reaches up to grab at Bro's larger hand that is causing him discomfort as the fingers press down, bruising his delicate, pale skin. He fingers curl into the red fabric, tugging at it as he attempts to dislodge the appendage.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" Bro leers at Edd whose cheeks begin to turn red as tears pool at the corners of his green eyes. Bro's hand grabs his chin none too gently and he forces the boy to look at him. He leans closer and whispers softly into his ear, "I love it when they struggle."

Edd's eyes widen and the tears cascade down his cheeks as he cries out in horror. His struggles increase tenfold. Bro chuckles, watching the boy, before he gives a hard squeeze to the small arm making the boy cease his struggles and cry out in pain.

"Unhand me, you inhumane beast!" Edd cries as tears continue to fall from his eyes and he begins to kick at Bro, who seems to find this all very amusing. "Oh, please! Release me! You're hurting me! Eddy! Eddy, please, help! It hurts…_hic_…"

Eddy unsteadily rises to his feet, stumbling forward slightly. He hears his best friend's cries. Looking up, he sees Edd straining against his brother's grip and his eyes widen seeing the tears in the boy's eyes and the bruises that have begun to appear on his friend's arm.

"Bro, please!" Eddy pleads at his brother, who is once again annoyed that his attention is drawn away from his prey as he glares at his younger brother. "He has nothing to do with this! Just let him go, Bro."

"Your girlfriend that important to you, Pipsqueak?" Bro sneers at his brother as he tightens his hold on Edd, pulling him closer to his side. "Alright, I got a new game for ya. Kinda like that 'hide n' seek' game you little anklebiters used to play in the cul-de-sac."

"What the heck is that suppose to mean?!" Eddy cries out, frustrated and confused at his elder sibling's words. His concern for Edd is almost suffocating. "What are you playing at, Bro?! Just let Double D go! He didn't do anything!"

Bro frowns angrily. Eddy hears a shriek of pain as Edd's arm receives a violent squeeze and Edd sobs in pain as he grabs at Bro's hand. The boy is weeping softly for him to let go — that his arm hurts. Bro grins wickedly at Eddy, who realizes that his brother had hurt Double D because of him.

The shortest Ed scans the group beyond his brother, pleading with his eyes for them to help. They're just standing there, frozen in fear. The Kankers seem to be the only ones who look interested in stopping this, but even they don't dare near the brutal scene. Shakily, Eddy bows his head, biting his lip as he looks at the ground guiltily.

"Watch your tone, Pipsqueak," Bro taunts at his little brother as he raises his other hand up to wag his finger at him. Bro moves his hand slowly, but firmly up Edd's arm, making the boy flinch before that hand tightens on his shoulder. He then moves Edd so the boy is standing in front of him and brings his right hand up to grip Edd's right shoulder. "Or your girlfriend is gonna pay for it."

Edd trembles as he looks at his friends. His stomach is in knots. He felt sick. Ed and Eddy need help and he can do nothing. He feels the grip on him slack. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he makes a mad dash toward his friends. A snarl behind him sends a feeling of cold dread down his spine and he barely blinks before a thick, red-plaid colored arm snakes around his neck. Edd gasps as he's yanked back roughly and held off the ground. Whimpering softly, Edd reaches his hand out towards Eddy.

"Eddy, please…" comes the soft, pathetic plea as Edd chokes down a sob. He looks at his best friend with fear-filled eyes. "Please, help me, Eddy…_hic_…_hic_…Ahhhhhhhh!"

Edd is reduced to sobbing for his friend who is barely able to stand up. Eddy's heart tightens seeing his friend so scared. His eyes drift up to the hand that's reaching towards him, flinching as he sees the dark black and blue finger marks that paint the pale skin. Bro stands there, leering at Edd and enjoying the fact that the boy is weeping and is absolutely helpless. He has reduced the boy to this state, crying and scared.

And he loves it.

Bro pulls Edd close and leans in to whisper into the boy's ear, "Play nice, Princess…and I'll give you something good later." He gives a small pat to the boy's black hat when that silences him. Edd cowers in fear of those words as Bro returns his attention to his pesky little brother. "Now, where was I?" He strokes his goatee gently smirking wickedly at Eddy who looks up with an almost defeated look on his face before he continues, "Ah, I remember now. A new game. I'll give you three days to find me and your little girlfriend here. If you do, you can have him back; safe and sound."

Eddy swallows as a worrisome feeling fills his stomach upon seeing the dark look in his brother's eyes. His focus returns to a now silent Edd, who hangs in his brother's grip submissively in fear of being hurt again.

"But if you can't, well, hehe," he chuckles deeply, looking up at Eddy with a wide grin as he gives another pat to Edd's beanie. "Well, Pipsqueak, he'll be my girlfriend then."

Edd's heart sinks into his stomach. Had he heard that correctly? This was highly inappropriate! Surely the man was just saying this to toy with Eddy? With all of his cruelty, it wouldn't surprise Edd in the least. He only hoped that this really was the case. He shivers as the man continues.

"Don't think I don't have any rules for you, though," he purrs, "Not many, but you better pay attention. They're simple enough; no cops, no folks, no one but you and those anklebiters behind you. Oh, and if I find out you disobeyed these rules…? Well…" he casts his eyes to Edd again, "your girlfriend will pay the price."

Bro reaches down towards his pants pocket, grinning as he brushes Edd's red clad calf. He gives it a pinch, drawing a whimper from the boy, before digging into his pocket and removing a set of keys. He takes a moment to search through the keys before selecting one; a simple, silver key with a black covering on the top.

Eddy pushes himself off of the ground as his brother begins walking away, cool and collected; daring any of the kids to challenge him as he carries Edd away.

"Where's he taking my pumpkin!" Marie wails, her mascara running down her cheeks as she forces herself to stay back.

The kids look amongst each other. What could they do? Any move Eddy had made towards Edd had gotten them both hurt. Eddy struggles to follow, tripping over his own feet as his beaten body betrays him.

"Come back here!" Eddy barks, "I didn't agree to nothing! Bring him back!"

His pleas fall on deaf ears as his brother ventures past his trailer. Eddy weakly crawls after him and the kids cautiously follow. Bro approaches a bright red van. Eddy finds himself reminded of the van back in the junkyard where he, Ed and Edd would spend their days planning new scams or just getting away from the others to hang out alone. This vehicle even has a similar tear drop design on the side as their beloved hangout spot. Bile rose in Eddy's throat at the idea that both vans may have belonged to his brother at some point.

He'd never look at their hideaway the same way again.

He watches, helpless, as his brother unlocks the back doors. Black curtains are pulled open and Edd is shoved inside. From what little he can see from this vantage, the interior is barren save for a mattress and at least one pillow. Nothing on the inner walls. Nothing else in the floor. It takes Add several moments to recover from his fall into the bed. Bro uses that time to slam the door shut and lock it again. With a sadistic grin, he turns back to Eddy, who is trying so desperately to make it to his feet to run.

"Remember, Pipsqueak," he chortles, holding up three fingers, "Three days."

He climbs into the driver's seat and starts the car, revving the engine. The kids watch in horror as Add appear in the rear window, trying to force the doors open. When that proves to be fruitless, he begins pounding his weak fists against the glass.

"Eddy!" they can barely hear his panicked screams, "Eddy! Help me! Eddy!"

Bro leans out the window and sneers back at his brother; "Good luck…"

Without another word, he hits the accelerator and the van tears from the scene. Eddy runs desperately after him, crying Edd's name.

"Double D!" he sobs, "Double D!"

His foot catches on a rock and he plummets to the ground, unmoving, save for the sobs that continue to rack his body. He reaches a hand out after the van, expelling clouds of exhaust. He desperately reaches for Edd's pleading, tear stained face.

"Edd…!"

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><p><strong>Review, but flames will be used to cook our marshmallows and make smores.<strong>


	2. An Ed More In Sorrow Than Anger

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Authors' Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: Hey, guys, there's a very very naughty scene in this chapter. It is forced so please, be warned! It is between an ADULT and a MINOR! It's about to get really dark. *turns on flashlight*_

_Battygirl: Kay so, this one takes a turn down a dark road. If you're not comfortable with the triggers we've listed, you best turn away NOW. Because shit's about to go down and we don't need anyone upset. Also, I forgot to mention in my notes for the last chapter, but we HAVE given Eddy's brother a name. We wont' be JUST calling him 'Bro' or 'Eddy's brother' throughout the entirety of the fic. The opportunity just hasn't presented itself yet for Bro to introduce himself or for Eddy to say his name. I know that sounds odd. You're prolly thinking, well why doesn't he just SAY it? Well, in my head, Eddy would just call him bro until he blurts the name out at some point...which will prolly be NEXT chapter. So…till then you'll just have to wait and speculate._

_There's another thing I forgot to mention last chapter that I'd like to bring up real quick here. I'm aware of a certain anonymous reviewer on this site who's made comments on one of my favorite BroEdd fics that are less 'flames' and more harassment. You know who you are, man. Coming into a story you don't approve of and leaving an angry comment over and over again. Anon reviews ARE enabled right now, but if we see that happening, you guys will lose that privilege. We are not going to deal with that. We don't deserve it and if you don't like it and review anyway, then it's YOUR problem, not mine._

**Edit_:_**_ Sorry about the issues with the chapters and order and stuff. Everything should be correct now.  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: An Ed More In Sorrow Than Anger<strong>

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><p>Eddy sits there in stunned silence, staring after the van long after it has disappeared from his sight. He wants to move; to run until his feet bleed and his body gives out. Instead, he sits there, mind reeling but also at a standstill. His body won't respond to his wishes. He vaguely notices the others moving around him. He ignores them. Now they want to help?<p>

_Fuck them._

Rolf is running over to Ed, screaming some gibberish Eddy only ever half understands anyway.

"Ed-boy! Speak to Rolf!" the self-proclaimed 'son of a shepherd' pleas as he reaches the unconscious boy.

May joins him shortly, tears in her eyes.

"Ed!" she sobs, cradling his head in her lap, "Please, wake up!"

Ed moans incomprehensibly, responding to May's gentle petting. He blinks his eyes open one at a time. For a moment, he just looks around blearily. He spots Eddy, sitting alone, and his eyes search for Edd. The situation comes crashing down upon him as he remembers the events that led up to his blackout. Eddy's brother hurting Double D. Eddy's brother throwing Eddy at him. Nothing.

"Eddy!" he screams, bolting to his feet, "Double D! Ed will save you!"

He begins to run around in a frenzy. Eddy's brother is nowhere in sight. Neither is Edd.

Sarah glares at him as he runs around frantically; "Stop that, you idiot!"

Ed stops and whips around to her. She and Jimmy stand near Lee and Marie, cowering and holding each other. Sarah is, naturally, much more calm than her companion, who is shaking like a leaf. Ed barrels towards them.

"Baby sister!" he cries, scooping them up into a crushing bear hug, "Are you hurt?!"

"Ed!" Sarah shrieks, startling him, "Put us down!"

Ed does so delicately. To his right, Marie is pacing back and forth, her arms switching between crossing defensively over her chest and waving frantically in the air as she mumbles angry curses to herself.

"That big jerk!" she grumbles, "Taking my boyfriend like that — Who the fuck does he think he is?! — D-Double D!"

Lee is ignoring her, her focus entirely on Eddy. He had still yet to move from his spot during all of this commotion and it was starting to concern her. She takes a few steps toward him.

"Where oh where has my Double D gone?!" Ed cries, running in place as he looks around in a panic.

A silence stretches among the kids as they debate with looks who should reveal what happened. The tension gives the answer as Jimmy bursts into tears.

"Eddy's brother took Double D!" he screams shrilly, waving his hands in front of his face as he bawls. He fell to the ground into a fetal position. "It was awful! He bruised and bullied Double D and Eddy and then he took him away! Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

The child devolves into nothing but sobs and Ed soon joins him with screams of horror. A sigh escapes Nazz as she rushes over to them in an effort to calm them down and explain the situation properly.

Lee, by this time, has reached Eddy. For a moment, she does nothing. She isn't used to this kind of conflict or comforting anyone but her sisters. Were this a normal situation, she'd have made a smart ass remark; playing it off as nothing.

This situation is very different.

Tensely, she reaches a hand towards Eddy. No sooner had she placed her hand on his shoulder when it was smacked away. Eddy slowly stands and shoots her a hateful glare.

"Don't _touch_ me!" he roars, startling her, "Don't you _fucking_ touch me!"

Kevin steps forward, "Dude, relax!"

"Shut the fuck up, Shovel-chin!" Eddy snaps, pointing an accusing finger at the jock, "Where were _you_ when he was touching Double D?! Where were _you_ when he was dragging him away?!"

"Chill, man" Kevin tries to assuage him, "I was just—"

"This is all _your_ fault!" Eddy growls, "If you guys hadn't been trying to kill us, we wouldn't have come all this way!" He turns his accusing gaze to the Kankers. "If you had any backbone between the three of you, you could've stopped him!" He tugs at his hair as tears well in his eyes, "None of you did _anything_! You just stood there and let it happen!"

He screws his eyes shut, feeling as though his head may burst any minute from his frustration and anger and pain and…A few tears escape his shut eyes. He wants so bad to cast the blame on everyone around him. He wants so bad to say this isn't his fault.

But it is.

His hands come down to cover his eyes as he sobs. It _is_ his fault Edd is gone. He's the one who messed up their scam. He's the one who lead them to believe that his brother would help them. He's the one who gave Double D all of those clues stretched so far from the truth, underestimating his best friend's intelligence time and again. He's the one at fault.

_I didn't get to tell him…_His thoughts buzz around in his head like a swarm of angry bees. _I didn't get to tell him I was sorry for this whole mess. I didn't get to tell him I'm sorry for making him cry. That I'm sorry for scaring him so much with those horrible pranks! I didn't get to tell him I'm sorry for lying all this time about my brother. I didn't tell him I…I didn't tell him…Edd…_

"I'm sorry," he whimpers, sniffling as tears fall freely down his cheeks and as he sinks to his knees once more, "It's all my fault. Everything I ever said about my brother…I-I lied…A-About everything! I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Ed's arms are around him within moments of his apology. He barely notices the warmth or Ed's stink. He's too lost in his own tears. Ed feels Eddy gripping his t-shirt between his fingers.

"I'm sorry," he blubbers into Ed's chest, "It's all my fault, Ed…I'm sorry…"

Ed pats his back comfortingly, but fights to find the words to say. He didn't know what he could say. He feels just as lost.

The group is startled by a loud horn as a bus careens into the park. It spins on its wheels as it skids to a halt several yards away. A silence follows, most of the kids staring at the bus expectantly.

_"Your time of reckoning has come, rapscallions!"_

Johnny leaps from the bus dressed in the guise of his alter-ego, Captain Melonhead. He holds a broom in his right hand which has Plank tied to the end. A mask has been tied over the board's 'eyes' for his 'Spinter the Wonder Wood' identity. Johnny's eyes are trained on the two remaining Eds, and, with little other warning, charges for them.

"It's Melon Time!" he cries.

The kids move to defend the grief-stricken boys, but soon find there is no need. Ed lets go of Eddy and stands. His face is dark and frightening as Johnny barrels towards them. The melon-helmeted boy runs into him, only to be knocked back by the wall that was Ed. Looming over him, Ed casts him his most fearsome look.

"Horrible fate!" he roars, startling Johnny, "You will not hurt Eddy anymore!"

Johnny's face screams his confusion and fear of the largest Ed. He hadn't seen the boy this furious since the day Ed had a pebble in his shoe. He had chosen to take his frustrations out on everyone in the cul-de-sac. He'd nearly broken Plank over his knee that day. Fear grips Johnny like a vice as that possibility rears its ugly head in his mind.

Eddy almost feels bad for him. The kid didn't know what was going on. However, he finds himself too hurt to care about filling him in. Nazz, thankfully, steps in.

"Dude, not cool," she coos softly as she approaches the late-arriver, "Now isn't the time to, like, be on the Eds' case."

Ed turns back to Eddy to allow Nazz to talk to Johnny. His sorrowful chum needs him now for comfort. Marie storms up to them.

"Why are we just standing around?!" she shrieks.

Kevin steps forward; "She's right." He turns to Ed and Eddy. "Dudes, I know you're sad and all that, but the longer we sit around crying and shit, the farther away they get. We need a game plan."

"What's to plan?!" Marie cries in a rage, "We chase after that asshole!"

"How do you suppose we do _that_?!" Kevin snaps back, "And even if we _could_ catch up to them, how do you think we're gonna take on that psycho?!"

"Hey, he _said_ he'd give Double D back if we found 'em!" Marie insists.

Eddy glares at her; "You really think my Bro is gonna do that?!" His words startle them. "You really think my Bro's gonna give Double D back just because we win?!"

Marie shrinks in on herself; she hadn't thought of that…After what they'd seen of the man, she guesses that he probably _wouldn't _surrender their friend. They really _did_ need a plan of attack.

Lee places a hand on her shoulder; "Don't worry, Marie, we'll get your boyfriend back. Nobody steals from the Kankers and gets away with it!"

Eddy rises to his feet, slowly finding his resolve.

"Nobody splits up the Eds, either," he growls, looking to Ed, "You with me, big guy?"

Ed looks at Eddy carefully before pulling himself to his feet and wrapping him up in a hug. Eddy returns it, hugging him tightly. When Ed pulls away, he's grinning widely.

"Let's go save our Double D!" he cries.

Eddy grins back, determined, and turns to the others.

"Alright, we don't got a lot of time," he dictates, "Who's got any ideas?"

"Someone should take Jimmy, Sarah, and Johnny home," Nazz suggests, "They shouldn't be exposed to this any more than they have been. I can do that while you guys go look for Double D. After all, our parents trust me to be responsible, so I'm probably the best person to watch over them."

"What are you gonna tell the folks?" Eddy asks seriously, "My bro warned us that–"

"I'll come up with something," Nazz assures him, "I won't tell them your brother's involved. At least not at first. After day three, I'm going to have to tell them no matter what."

Eddy nods in approval and Nazz approaches the younger kids, ushering them along. Jimmy and Sarah look happy to be leaving. They cast Eddy a sorrowful look, wishing without speaking that Edd is found and returned safe and sound.

As they walk away, Nazz finds herself thinking about how surprised she is by this turn. As long as she'd known Eddy, she'd never seen him this serious. She realizes she shouldn't be so shocked; Edd had been taken from them. She had never seen the Eds separated like this before, if at all, since they'd known each other. A grin finds its way to her face as she escorts the children away; glad to see Eddy taking charge to save his friend.

When they are out of sight, Eddy turns to Kevin and Rolf.

"Next, we gotta try to find a trail or something," he determines before pointing to the tracks in the ground left by the van, "We won't be able to follow those tire tracks for too long if my bro turns onto a paved road."

"Rolf will provide the tracking skills needed to find the brainy Ed-boy!" Rolf announced pridefully, "Wilfred!" The pig squeals and waddles away. Rolf gives chase. "Wilfred! Return to Rolf this instant!"

Eddy rubbed his eyes tiredly; "Oh my God…Double D's a goner…"

Lee shakes her head and walks toward the trailer.

"Leave this one to us, boys," she grunts, "May, Marie!" She points to the door. "Search the place!"

The girls turn to the trailer, eyes alight with deviance as they charge for the door, disappearing inside and shutting themselves in. The boys watch in shock as the trailer rocks and shakes. The sisters are tearing the place apart! Kevin pales a he's reminded of the incident surrounding the Kanker's ship in a bottle. They'd destroyed the entire cul-de-sac looking for that thing. The only ones spared back then were the Eds. It had been a dark day that summer.

After about twenty minutes, Lee kicks the door open, a book in her hands. She approaches Eddy. Upon closer inspection, Eddy finds it to be a photo album.

"You think there's anything in there?" Lee asks, handing the album to Eddy.

"I dunno," Eddy grumbles, sitting down and flipping through the pages "I never saw this one before…"

The photos in the book are very old. His parents are in most of them. He starts to see red; his brother is in them too. He's much younger – one or two years older than Eddy is now, if he had to guess – but he still looks as surly as he always had. Eddy thumbs through the pages. He didn't know what exactly he is looking for, but he has a strong feeling that something here would give them a heading.

His parents; happy, both smoking heavily in their photos. His brother; trying to look cool, but looking more annoyed than anything. He stops on a photo of the three of them, standing in front of a trailer. For as long as he could remember, his mother had always been a larger woman, but even here, Eddy is able to make out a pregnant belly. This picture was taken before he was born, when his mother was pregnant with him. Edd had explained to him the truth about where babies come from. After several hours of disgust and panic, he came to accept that his brother had been trying to scare him with _his_ version. He's capable of spotting these things now.

He also sees the cold look his brother is giving his parents. They don't seem to notice. Eddy assumes they never did if they kept the photo. He takes the image out to examine it more closely. They weren't in Peach Creek Estates here. It was a trailer park. Squinting, he is just barely able to make out a sign in the background.

'Pine Fresh Motor Homes'.

He realizes it's a long shot, but maybe this really is the clue he was looking for.

"Hey, guys," he announces, "I think I found somethin'."

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><p>Edd sits, slumped against the back door of the van, still sniffling. His thoughts are heavy with worry. He wonders if he would ever see his friends again. He imagines he could live without seeing the Kankers for the rest of his life, but he would be lying if he said he wouldn't prefer their company over Eddy's brother's.<p>

Kevin…Rolf…Nazz…

Their faces fade in and out of his mind. Would they miss him? The three of them had treated him with slightly more favor in the past than his friends. Of course, he feels as though the scam that landed him in this mess might have eradicated any favor they may have had towards him.

Sarah…Jimmy…Johnny…

Edd tries to blink away his tears. No, they wouldn't care. Sarah and Jimmy had come to see him and his friends beaten and he feels positive that Johnny would delight in his absence.

One less Ed to worry about…

He reflects on his dearest friends. Ed, loveable oaf as he is, will be heartbroken. Edd can almost hear his dear friend's cries of anguish. And Eddy…

His heart gives a throb when he thinks of him and he bites his lip. What on earth was this? He considers how he has started feeling this more and more when his thoughts turned to his shorter companion. A feeling of warmth in his chest that would spread throughout his body and to the tips of his fingers and toes. He always tried to think back on his readings when this feeling hit him; searching his memories for a nugget of information that would explain this. Nothing ever did.

He shakes his head. No use thinking on that now. He would search for his answer later. Right now, he decides to focus on returning to his friends.

Shakily, he pulls himself up onto his hands and knees. With the vehicle moving like this, he can only find stability this way. He slowly makes his way to the front of the van where Eddy's brother is busy focusing on the road.

…Or so Edd hoped.

He watches as the man leans over, grabbing something from the floor. Edd squeaks as the van swerves suddenly, sending him onto his side. Bro repositions himself and brings the bottle of beer up to his mouth, popping the cap off with his teeth. The sound of teeth scraping against metal and glass makes Edd cringe almost as much as the alcohol intake itself. The boy grimaces and makes his move.

Eddy's brother manages to take one swig of his beer before it's snatched from of his hand. He looks over at the kid who is now in the passenger seat with his beer in hand. Edd's eyes are wide and he appears to be really flustered.

"Are you mad?!" Edd shouts at the man beside him as he holds the foul-smelling beverage away from his face, but out of Bro's reach, "I demand you cease this drunken behavior and turn this vehicle around!"

Bro stares at the boy before breaking out in a roar of laughter. Oh man, this kid was a riot!

_No wonder Pipsqueak wants him so damn bad!_

He grins at Edd who shivers at the look.

"Sorry 'bout your luck, Princess, but this is a one way trip for you." He smirks maliciously as he reaches to take his beer back. Edd holds it just out of reach, drawing a growl from him as the boy moves further back against the passenger door. "Give me my beer back, you little bitch."

"No!" Edd cries at him, holding the bottle out of the window. Bro watches him out of the corner of his eye, but Edd can see the man wasn't taking him seriously at all. He would have to make his demands more clear. "Take me back to my friends this instant! We'll never bother you again _and_ you can have your precious alcohol back!"

An amused chuckle escapes the man. He dismisses the boy's words as an empty threat as he returns his attention back to the road. A sudden clinking sound catches his attention. Glancing back over at the window, he watches as the boy gives him a small, devious grin before dropping the bottle out the window.

Edd has no time to react as Bro slams on the breaks. The boy cries out in pain as his head slams into the dashboard before he's thrown back into the passenger seat. Bro grabs the back of his shirt yanking him over as the man glares down at him, anger burning in his eyes.

"What the fuck was that, you little shit?!" He demands, motioning with his arm towards the window.

Edd flinches in anticipation of a strike. Bro shakes the boy, his anger refusing to sizzle over. Without a second though, he brings his hand down across the boy's face, slapping him across his cheek and making the boy's head follow the action, snapping to the side. Edd is stunned, gripped with pure shock and fear, as he slowly raises his hand to touch his burning, red cheek before looking up at Bro with fearful eyes.

"How'm I supposed to drive without something to drink?!" The man is irate and he growls as he attempts to focus "That was my last beer, dammit!"

How the hell is he expected to drive now?! That really was the only beer he had in the van and, besides the kid, he has no other way to…

_…Wait a second…_

Bro looks Edd over. The boy is crying softly from being hit and is cowering from the man before him. Bro's smirk returns to his face as he realizes just how he could keep himself entertained.

And Edd really _did_ need to be punished for wasting that beer.

Moving his grip from the Edd's shirt to the boy's chin and gripping tightly, he pulls the boy closer. He reaches down with his other hand and slowly unzips his pants, pulling out his half-erect cock. Edd's eyes grew wide and he pulled his hat down over his eyes.

"Make yourself decent!" the boy demands, struggling against the man.

"Sorry, Princess," the man purrs back, "But since you decided to be such a bad boy, I'm gonna have to punish you."

Bro licks his lips as he presses his thumb over the boy's soft lips. He groans softly in anticipation of having those lips on his cock.

"P-Please!" Edd begs, "Put that…that _thing_ away! It's so inappropriate!"

Edd cries out as his head is drawn closer to the man's crotch and he flinches when the man shoves his face right next to it. Shivers rack his body when he feels the appendage harden against his cheek. Desperately, he cries out and begins pushing at the man's thighs.

Bro grimaces in irritation before reaching into the broken glove box and retrieving a pair of gleaming, silver handcuffs. Grabbing the boy's wrists, he jerks them behind his back, making Edd whimper in discomfort. He clicks them tightly into place and Edd struggles to free his hands from behind his back.

"There ya go, sweetheart," He smirks as he pulls the boy's face back to his crotch, pleased when Edd cannot struggle as much.

His grip on the boy's chin tightens and makes the boy whimper in pain as his mouth is forced open. With a grin, Bro forces Edd to take the entire length into his mouth. The boy's body violently tries to pull itself free as gagging sounds come from him. Edd is panicking as this filthy…filthy thing is forced into his mouth. The elder moans in pleasure. The feeling of that small mouth around his cock is heavenly. So warm and wet. He looks down, watching the boy struggle to breathe around the obstruction.

"Breathe through your nose." Bro groans as he begins to drive once again.

Moving his hand to the back of Edd's neck near the base of his hairline, he begins a slow pace of bobbing the boy's head up and down his cock. Edd squirms in his grip. To cease his writhing, Bro gets rougher. His cock slams into the back of the boy's throat, making Edd gag and cough.

"If you puke on me, I'll kill you," the threat spoken through the man's teeth makes Edd feel even more sick than he already did.

This is so dirty! He wants him to release his head so he can curl up and weep for his friends. He wants a shower; to scrub himself raw. He yearns for mouthwash to remove this wretched taste from his mouth. The member violating his mouth and resting on his tongue is so thick and he can barely remember to take breaths as it rams into his mouth rougher each time. When it hits the back of his throat, pain and nausea course through him.

Bro lays his head back, moaning. He's somehow able to keep his eyes on the road ahead of him, but only just. He can't get enough of Edd's mouth around him and he can feel himself slowly drawing closer to release. He pushes the boy's head all the way down and moans softly as the heat pools in his stomach. He looks at Edd's teary, red face and gives him another cold, sadistic grin.

"Here's a little treat for doing such a good job, Princess," Bro's voice rumbles low in his chest, "Swallow it all."

The boy lets out a soft whimper before his eyes widen. Cum hits the back of his throat and pools in his mouth, making him retch. Edd tries desperately to pull away so he didn't have to swallow the foul ejaculate, but the grip on the back of his neck makes it impossible for him to do so.

He has no choice.

Reluctantly, he forces himself to swallow and allows the tears to fall. Nausea hits his stomach immediately and his body fights to dispel the fluids. But he withholds his vomit, the man's threat heavy on his mind.

Bro waits until his cock has softened before pulling the boy up. Gripping the boy's sore chin again and opening Edd's mouth, he smiles in approval. The boy had indeed done exactly as he'd asked.

"That's a good boy," he chuckled, patting Edd's cheek, "Wasn't it yummy?"

He shoves Edd back into the passenger's seat and tucks himself back into his pants. The boy is crying and coughing as he curls up. His hands are still restrained behind his back, but he still moves as far away from the man as he can, sobbing. Bro smirks and reaches over to touch the boy's leg, which is extended slightly towards him in Edd's effort to move away.

"Don't worry, Princess," he purrs, stroking the boy's thigh, "There's plenty more where that came from."

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><p><strong>DuoXKouga: The next chapter is gonna be rough and dark. Heads up warning. Also, thanks for your support and we love your reviews! Please keep sending them! Also, don't hesitate to point out a mistake we might have made. THANK YOU ALL!<strong>


	3. Edd Should Be Seen And Not Heard

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Authors' Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: I know it's been a while since the last update. Things have been very stressful around here the last few weeks...So, yeah. Now We're back again. Title name may be subject to change._

_Battygirl: Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so late! I mean, we never gave any of you any suggested update days or anything, but we both realize it's been a couple of weeks since chapter two and still no update. So…sorry about that. Life has been rearing it's ugly head and getting in the way of progress on this chapter. With DuoXKouga working two jobs, collaborating has been tough. Hopefully we'll be able to get updates out sooner, but don't hold your breath, okay? And for the people who reviewed the last two chapters, thanks so much! We really love receiving your feedback! Please, don't hesitate to hit that review button and let us know what you think!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Edd should be seen and not heard<strong>

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><p>It's been hours. At least, that's what Edd assumes. He has no way of knowing the exact passage of time. For that, he would need to look at the clock on the radio and in the direction of Eddy's brother.<p>

And that, he decides, is completely out of the question.

Bro's hand is still resting on his thigh. Edd wants to remove it — to smack his hand away for daring to touch him after what the man had made him do — but his hands are still bound behind his back. At first, he'd tried edging farther away, but it was no use. With the way his hands are shackled, he cannot move any farther without moving his legs towards Eddy's brother and pulling his legs toward himself only succeeded in pulling himself back towards the man instead. This left him with no other option than to lean against the door and allow the man to continue his vile caresses.

Every now and then, Bro would squeeze his thigh, reminding the boy that he still had hold of him. Edd would shiver, offer a weak whimper and curl further in on himself. There are times when the boy almost nods off, his weary mind calming just enough for him to sleep and escape the nightmare of this reality. Just when he would reach that threshold, the grip on his leg would tighten and his consciousness would abruptly return, leaving Edd groggy and whimpering.

The van is slowing. Edd feels them turning off onto another road. The terrain is rougher here, but the vehicle remains stable enough that the boy can mostly ignore it. Finally, the van comes to a slow stop. The hand on his leg is removed and Edd heaves a sigh of relief. He hears the driver's side door open and close. Footsteps moving around the front of the van and to his side.

The door he's leaning on is suddenly moved away. Edd cries out as he falls forward, anticipating the quick decent onto the unforgiving ground. The contact is not made and he instead falls almost softly against Bro's middle. The man chuckles darkly, his hand on the door.

"Already wantin' more, Princess?" he purrs, "Didn't realize how much you liked it."

Bile rises in Edd's throat and he can't hold back any longer. He turns his head to the side and tumbles out of the vehicle and onto the ground. He has no time to cry out. He struggles to sit up and expel the limited contents of his stomach; doing what he can to avoid the man standing over him. Bro howls with laughter as the boy is reduced to dry heaving. He grabs the back of Edd's shirt and hauls him up.

"Have you _really_ been holding that in this whole time?!" he cackles.

An indignant blush spreads over Edd's cheeks and he looks away shamefully. The man's laughter rumbles low in his chest as he looks Edd over. The kid's a mess. Specks of vomit remain on his lips and he's sure the kid's arms must be killing him. Thoughtfully, the man leans Edd up against the van, keeping his hand on the boy's shoulder to keep him from moving. Edd grimaces at the contact, but chooses to remain where he is standing. His legs are sore from sitting curled up for so long and he feels certain that he wouldn't get far anyway if he were to run. Rather stay where he is held than let the man chase him down and inflict more pain upon him.

Reaching into the glove compartment where he'd kept the handcuffs, Bro retrieves a small key. Edd glances at him as the man turns him away to unlock the handcuffs. The boy sighs again in relief, rubbing his sore wrists. Bro allows Edd to stretch his arms for a moment, to allow the blood to return to his appendages, before snatching his hands up. Edd struggles for a moment as the man slaps the cuffs back onto his wrists, keeping the boy's hands in front of him this time.

When he's sure the cuffs are secured, the man shuts the door and pulls Edd along to the back doors. Edd watches in mild disinterest as Eddy's brother opens the doors and looks around for…something. The boy sighs and looks around uncomfortably. He doesn't recognize anything around him. Where on earth was the man taking him? Glancing to him, he considers asking.

He holds his tongue. There's still a vile aftertaste in his mouth and his throat is burning from vomiting. He has a bad feeling that the man may not take kindly to him speaking anyway. Finally, the man stands straight again, a bottle in his hands. He glances at Edd and reaches into his pocket, retrieving a small cloth. He opens the bottle and wets the handkerchief some. Edd's eyes widen and he licks his lips a bit; water!

Bro's large hand grabs Edd's tie and yanks him close. Edd shuts his eyes tight in anticipation of a strike. Had he done something to enrage him? What horrific act is he going to perform with that rag?!

Against his chin, he feels the damp cloth dabbing…_gently_? His eyes snap open in shock and his gaze is drawn instantly to the man above him. Bro's face is composed of sharp focus as he gingerly wipes Edd's mouth clean. His other hand is holding the boy's chin in place. When Edd's face is clear of the mess, the man grins; stroking the boy's chin.

"Now, doesn't that feel better?" he asked in that same, seductive voice.

A grimace makes its way to Edd's face and he looks away in disgust, ignoring the man's laugh at his expense.

"Oh ho, look at that angry face…" the man chortles, "Guess you don't want any of this water, hmm?"

Edd's attention whips back to Bro, spotting him tilting the mouth of bottle towards the ground.

"No!" he cries, his voice sounding hoarse and pained.

The grin on the man's face grows and he holds the bottle up.

"Then let's hear you ask nicely, sweetheart," he sneers.

Edd winces; "P-Please…May I _please_ have some water?"

"That's better," Bro chuckles and places the bottle in Edd's hands, "Here ya go, Princess."

Edd lifts the bottle to his lips and drinks greedily. He vaguely notices movement from Bro in front of him, but pays it no mind. The water is warm from sitting in the hot van in summer, but feels heavenly against his burning throat. It washes away the taste of vomit and leaves his mouth feeling clean again.

When he finally lowers the bottle again, it's almost empty. Bro is watching him carefully, drawing Edd to hold the bottle to his chest self-consciously. He wipes his mouth on the back of his hand and fidgets a bit.

"Th-Thank you for the water" he mumbles.

The man ignores him and grabs the bottle, setting it back in the van after capping it once again. He snatches the chain linking the handcuffs, tugging a surprised Edd along behind him. The boy looks between Bro and the van questioningly. Where's the man taking him now?! He sees they're approaching a group of bushes. Edd feels his cheeks burning as he blushes a deep shade of red. He struggles, his imagination running away with him. In any of the horror movies Ed had made him and Eddy watch, when a couple would go behind bushes, it would lead to some kind of sexual encounter. It would also end with said couple being murdered, but Edd finds himself far less afraid of the latter scenario.

They push past the foliage and make way to a tree with low hanging branches. They're far enough from the main road that, should anyone be traveling near them, they wouldn't be noticed. Edd's shivering in fear and anticipation as the man turns to him with a smirk.

"P-Please, Mister Eddy's Brother!" the boy begs, "W-Whatever you have in store for me, I urge you to reconsider!"

He gasps as Bro grabs him around his middle, lifting him with ease. The boy kicks his legs, making contact with the man once or twice, but never phasing him. Edd curses his weak physique under his breath as Bro hangs him by his wrists from one of the lower branches. The boy whimpers in discomfort, his eyes shutting tight against the sting as the cuffs dig into his wrists, but hold, supporting his light weight.

When he opens his eyes again, he finds himself at eye level with Eddy's brother, who's grinning in approval of his handiwork. It's only now that Edd sees the Polaroid camera around his neck. The boy assumes the man had grabbed it while he was quenching his thirst back at the van. Bro follows Edd's gaze and chuckles at the look of confusion the boy was giving him.

He cups Edd's chin; "We're gonna take a few pictures, sweetheart. Give your lil boyfriend somethin' good to look at now that you're all cleaned up and pretty."

Edd shivers when he feels the man's other hand come up to touch his thigh. Bro chuckles, his gaze lowering to look over the boy hanging helplessly in front of him. Squirming Edd tries again to plead with him.

"M-Mister Eddy's Brother! I implore you!" Bro glances at him with a cocked brow, "P-Please let me down! This is highly inappropriate!"

The man looks over him in scrutiny and drags his hand up Edd's side, moving the boy's shirt up so he can see the boy's bare stomach.

"And what if I don't, Princess?" he scoffs, moving his other hand down to enjoy the feeling of Edd's soft skin, "What're you gonna do about it?"

Wriggling, Edd tries to escape his touch, but can do little in his current position. He grits his teeth and gives him the harshest glare he can.

"I detest you!" he cries, "How could Eddy speak so highly of you all this time?! All Ed or I ever heard from him was how wonderful you are!" He attempted to mimic Eddy's voice, "'My brother's the coolest!' 'My bro's a whiz at this!' 'My bro's a whiz at that!' He only ever praised you as his brother and you deserved none of it!"

Edd pants, his eyes shut tight as he fights back angry tears. He expects to be struck for his little outburst, but finds himself caring less and less. It really baffles him that his dear friend could look up to someone like this. Is this really where Eddy was heading? Is this what his friend would become if his actions continued? Is this—

"Why the hell do you keep calling me that?"

Bro's sudden question breaks through Edd's thoughts and brings the boy to open his eyes and look at the man again. Eddy's brother is looking at him questioningly. He still has his hands on Edd's sides, but has ceased his groping. Instead, he seems to be holding Edd steady as he surveys him, taking some weight off of the handcuffs.

"Wh-What?" Edd furrows his brow, confused.

"I haven't heard you call me by my name once," the man notes, "You keep calling me 'Eddy's brother'. Did Pipsqueak seriously never tell you my name?"

Edd thinks on it. It hadn't occurred to him, but no; Eddy hadn't told him or Ed the man's name at all. He shakes his head.

"No…" he mumbles, "He spoke of you so often, but your name never…came up…I suppose."

The man chuckles and resumes his rough treatment of Edd's chest, drawing whimpering moans from the boy.

"Do you wanna know it?" he purrs, pulling Edd towards him.

He presses himself against the boy, burying his face in Edd's neck and breathing deep. Edd shudders, his legs flailing some as he tries to move away. Bro holds him in place, nibbling on the soft skin of the boy's neck. A sharp cry rips itself from Edd's lips as the man's teeth bite down harder. His hands clench into tight fists, his nails digging into the skin of his palms as the man starts sucking against his neck. He finds himself reminded of when the Kankers would shower him, Ed, and Eddy with their unwanted affections.

This, he notes, is very different. While the Kankers would kiss them anywhere their lips could reach along their faces and necks, they were merely pecks of their lips upon their skin. Eddy's brother isn't just leaving chaste kisses along his neck. He lingers in one spot, sucking on his neck and sometimes flicking his tongue out to tease the bruising skin. Edd squirms in his grip, trying to stop the moans that are threatening to escape him. He feels the man chuckling against his neck before Bro pulls back to look at his face again.

"You seem to enjoy that, Princess," he chuckles, tracing his jaw.

Edd whimpers, afraid to speak. The man smirks, leaning into Edd's face.

"Well, if you like it so much, I guess I'll just have to continue, hmm?" his words roll off his tongue, "But first, I want you to know my name. After all…" He moves to Edd's right and leans into his ear, breathing huskily. "I expect to hear it in your moans and screams."

Edd struggles desperately against the shackles on his wrists. He fears the metal may start cutting into his flesh, but he cares only about escape. The man laughs low in his throat and drags his tongue along the shell of Edd's ear.

"My name is Terry," he whispers haughtily, his hands tracing Edd's torso, "You better use it, sweetheart."

Shivering, Edd forces himself to nod, hoping the man will cease his caresses.

"V-Very well…T-Terry…" he whimpers, "P-Please…Please let me down from here? It hurts…"

A dark grin comes to the man's face as he pulls back to look over him. The kid looks good like this; hanging by his wrists, defenseless to whatever the man before him has in mind. And now to plead with him like this. Terry imagines he can make the boy do just about anything at this point. He glances down at the camera around his neck and remembers the entire reason he'd stopped here.

A dark grin comes to the man's face as he pulls back to look over him. The kid looks good like this; hanging by his wrists, defenseless to whatever the man before him has in mind. And now to plead with him like this. Terry imagines he can make the boy do just about anything at this point. He glances down at the camera around his neck and remembers the entire reason he'd stopped here.

"Sorry, Princess," he shrugs, grabbing the camera, "Before I can let you down, I have to take my pictures."

Edd finds his anger again in that statement as the man brings the camera up to snap a few photos.

"Must you really _document_ your depraved acts?!" the boy cries.

"C'mon, baby, give us a smile," Terry purrs, "This is for your boyfriend, after all."

Edd looks toward the ground, his cheeks burning with shame. How can he continue to insinuate such a thing?! Eddy is _not_ his boyfriend! At least not in the way the man is suggesting. He flinches, hearing the click of the camera going off. He watches out of the corner of his eye as Terry waves the small Polaroid picture so it can slowly develop. A grin forms on the man's face as he approves of the photo that greets him.

The boy is just too damn cute.

Terry tucks the photo into his jacket pocket and replaces the camera around his neck before reaching for the boy's hands. Edd winces at his touch, drawing a chuckle from the man. With ease, he lifts him off the branch, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Edd lets out a squeal, feeling the arm wrap around his waist to hold him up on the man's shoulder. He can feel his anger boil over again. Fervently, he hits Terry's back with his cuffed hands and kicks his feet wildly in an effort to make the man release him.

"Let me down this _instant_!" he wails as he struggles in the man's grip. He gives a startled yelp when a large hand gives a firm squeeze to his behind. "Wh-Where do you think you're putting those _filthy_ hands?! Put me down immediately, you brute!"

Terry finds himself smirking as the boy's struggles do nothing but entertain him more. He moves his hand over the boy's covered rear, groping the soft, malleable flesh there through the clothing. The whimpering and squealing reactions he's getting out of the boy are music to his ears. Edd begins to plead with him.

"I implore you!" he whimpers, "Cease your vile groping of my posterior and put me down!"

Terry ignores him, as he approaches the van. He opens the passenger door and tosses the boy into the seat. As he pulls his hand back, he locks the door before slamming it shut. Walking around to the other side of the van, he climbs inside. Edd has recovered from the rough handling and is sitting up, his hands fumbling with the lock on the door. Terry grimaces and grabs the back of Edd's shirt, yanking him back. With his other hand he reaches over the boy and grabs the seat belt, pulling it over him.

"Safety first, Princess," he purrs mockingly as he buckles the seat belt over Edd.

While the boy struggles to remove the seat belt and resume his attempts at escape, Terry starts the vehicle. He pulls away from the scene, driving off in the direction they had been traveling until this little detour. Edd's shoulders slump in disappointment. He'd finally unbuckled the seat belt with his fumbling hands and it was too late. Resigning himself to the futility of his endeavors, Edd curls up, pulling his knees to his chest.

Terry's words ring through his head. Eddy, his boyfriend? He has no idea how the man could have gotten such a ridiculous idea into his head! He and Eddy are and always have been the closest of friends, including Ed. Nothing more. Sure, Eddy would often be physical with him and Ed. Sometimes it would be borderline abusive and others, borderline intimate. And sure, in those times when the smaller boy would get grabby, he often reached for Edd first, pulling him in tight to his side.

A shy blush spreads over Edd's cheeks and he turns his head to the right. Yes, more often than not, Edd had been on the receiving end of a hug that pulled him tight against Eddy's stout frame. Yes, Eddy would often lean into his face, their cheeks and noses touching. Edd holds his legs tighter against his chest. There were so many times when Eddy would press himself against his friend.

Edd is beginning to question whether those incidents were as innocent as he once believed. The boy is startled from his thoughts by Terry's hand on his leg again. With a grimace, Edd shoves the man's hand away.

"Keep your filthy hands _off_ of me!" he cries, backing up against the locked door.

Terry chuckles; "Little kitten's got _claws_."

"You're deplorable," Edd grumbles, grimacing at him.

"Careful with that smart mouth of yours, Princess," Terry remarks, "You wouldn't wanna say somethin' you'll end up regretting." He glances at the boy with a smirk. "Now, would you?"

Edd's brow furrows at that. There is a foreboding aura about the way the man spoke to him. The boy tugs on his hat as he considers the multitude of things Terry may do to him if he crosses the line again. Taking the man's beer had resulted in that…disgusting punishment. He worries what else Terry would want him to do. Reluctantly, he silences himself, but remains at a fair distance, leaning against the door behind him so he can keep his eyes on the man in the case of any further inappropriate actions.

Terry notices Edd's actions and chuckles. The kid learns quick. Not only is he choosing to stop talking, but now Edd's also making sure to keep a close eye on him. He has to give the boy credit; he's not as stupid as he would have expected of a kid Eddy would hang around with. A smirk tugs at his lips as his eyes drift carefully between Edd and the road.

Such intelligence should be rewarded…

"If you're good for me," he informs him smugly, "Maybe I'll take those cuffs off you, darlin'."

Edd forces a glare at him as he blushes. It's bad enough he keeps insinuating that Eddy is his boyfriend, but must he use those suggestive pet names as well? It makes Edd's skin crawl.

Curiously, Edd tries to distract himself by looking out the window, attempting to locate any landmarks that would give him some clue as to their location. The road before them is stretching on for miles and, on either side, Edd only sees expansive fields. Every now and then, they'll come across a sign indicating what city or town they were coming up on or billboards advertising various services.

Curiously, Edd tries to distract himself by looking out the window, attempting to locate any landmarks that would give him some clue as to their location. The road before them is stretching on for miles and, on either side, Edd only sees expansive fields. Every now and then, they'll come across a sign indicating what city or town they were coming up on or billboards advertising various services.

Edd sighs a bit and slouches in disappointment. There isn't any way for him discern where exactly he is. He also realizes that even if he _can_ figure out where he is, he has no way of passing that information along to Ed and Eddy. None of them have cellular phones — and even if he did, he's sure Terry would have taken it as soon as he'd abducted him — and there is no paper nor any writing implements in the van so he can leave them notes. He nearly lets out a gasp as realization hits him like a brick.

He _does_ have a method of passing information! His fingers ghost over his hat, his eyes wide as he feels the label maker still safe beneath the black cloth. A small smile graces his features. Never before had he been more thankful for his compulsion for labeling. He can leave the labels as breadcrumbs for his friends to follow.

His eyes are cast to Terry. If he is to follow through with this little plan, he has to be careful about it. The label maker had proven to be fairly loud whenever he would punch the various characters along each strip. If he's not careful, Terry will hear it and most assuredly take away his last, lingering hope. After so many years of using the labeler on every item he owned and nearly every item he'd come in contact with in general, he'd mastered the art. He is capable of creating labels very fast when he knows exactly what he wants it to say. If he times it well, he can create one or two labels should he get out of Terry's sight and earshot.

He considers the very real possibility, though, that he may not get that chance. Biting his lip, he mulls over the idea of revealing the label maker to Terry anyway. His compulsion _is_ genuine, and he feels certain that he can stretch the truth enough to suggest he's currently feeling the compulsion to label his surroundings.

But what if Terry doesn't buy that?

He imagines the man grabbing the labeler and throwing it out the window or crushing it underfoot. Laying his head back, he wracks his brain trying to think of some way to utilize the labeler. Perhaps if he can get into the back of the van again? At the very least, he would be concealed from Terry's eyes and could retrieve the labeler from his hat. He could plan the act of making the labels after that.

Taking a deep breath, he speaks; "May I sit in the back?" Terry glances at him suspiciously, so Edd decides he should elaborate. "I still feel slightly ill…I would very much like to lie down."

Terry scoffs, his eyes returning to the road for a moment; "If you wanna lay down so damn bad, why don't you lay your pretty little head in my lap?"

A shiver runs down Edd's spine as his eyes drift down towards the man's lap for just a moment. He feels another bout of sickness wash over him at the very idea.

"I would like lie down on a mattress," Edd replies through his teeth.

Terry looks to be thinking it over.

"Now, why would I want you sitting back there?" he sneers, "I wanna be able to look at you…"

"Please," Edd whines a bit, feeling more desperate.

He realizes too late that that may have been a mistake. Terry glares at him.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were hidin' somethin' from me, Princess," he growls.

Edd hunches his shoulders.

"M-Me?" he stutters, "Never! I…I just really…_r-really_ wish to lie down."

Terry huffs; "I don't think so. You seem fine to me."

With a sigh, Edd slouches against the door again. There goes that plan…With little else to do, Edd watches the clock. It's just after noon. He's no idea how long they've been traveling, having not seen a clock prior to their travels, but he assumes it had been at least two hours since they left the park. In the meantime, he tries to think of short messages to leave for Ed and Eddy.

After about forty-five minutes, Terry turns off of the main road again. Edd scrutinizes their path some, trying to map it in his mind as they near what he assumes is their destination. Instead, the man pulls off into another small clearing. Edd pales as the vehicle comes to a stop and Terry retrieves the camera again.

"Again?!" the boy gawks, drawing Terry's attention to him.

"Yes, Princess, again," the man retorts, grabbing Edd's arm and dragging the boy towards him, "Maybe if you cooperate this time we can be quick."

Edd groans in displeasure as Terry drags him out of the vehicle and to a large tree. The boy is grateful to note that there are no low-hanging branches here, but wonders what other horrors the man will have him endure. He's pushed up against the tree.

"Hold still, sweetheart," Terry demands before turning away to look over the camera.

Edd seizes this rare opportunity. Reaching up, he pulls the labeler out from under his hat. He tries to hide the device, but is halted by Terry's hand grabbing his wrist.

"And what do we have here?" the man speaks in a low, threatening tone.

The boy falters, unable to come up with a proper excuse as the labeler is snatched from his hands. Terry looks over it carefully before his eyes settle back on Edd.

He chuckles; "And here I was giving you credit for being the smart one of Pipsqueak's little brigade…" He cups Edd's chin and leans down. "And what did you think you were going to do with _this_, sweetheart?"

"N-Nothing," Edd stumbles over his words as he fights to offer an explanation, "I-I have a…a compulsion. A-A need to l-label things."

Terry studies him carefully, searching his eyes for deceit. His laughter is draining Edd of his little optimism.

"Let me guess," he chuckles, "You thought you could leave a little message for your boyfriend with this, hmm?"

Edd bows his head. There's no use in speaking anymore. He curses his own desperation. In his haste, he had allowed Terry to find his only remaining method of contacting his friends. The sound of the labeler's clicking snaps Edd out of his wallowing and he directs his attention to Terry, watching the man create a new label. It's short and once the label is created, Terry pockets the labeler, much to Edd's dismay. With a grin, he holds the label up. Edd backs into the tree fearfully, shutting his eyes tight as the label is placed onto his hat, just above his eyes.

He keeps his eyes shut as Terry steps back and snaps a couple of pictures. When the man is satisfied, the boy is dragged back to the van. Edd is thankful there was no more fondling during this detour. After he's placed into the passenger seat again and locked inside, curiosity takes him. He dares not remove the label — for fear of angering the man — and instead peers into the rearview mirror outside the window. Four white letters are all that can be read on the blue strip.

_Mine_

Edd shivers. Terry had informed him that the photos were for Eddy. He cringes as he thinks about what Eddy would say if he were to see these pictures. He decides after a moment that he doesn't want to consider it.

For the next few hours, Terry makes two more stops. Like the first, there is a bit of fondling, but not nearly as much. The man tells Edd that he needs the boy to make some cute faces for Eddy and had determined that the only way to do so is to make the kid blush and squirm.

Finally, around 3:30, they enter a dense gathering of trees. Edd shivers and edges away from the windows uncomfortably as they travel deep into the wooded area. This isn't like the other stops. Wherever they were going, Edd feels certain they would not be leaving any time soon. The terrain is much rougher here and Edd clings to the door handle in an effort to find stability.

They pull up to a dingy-looking trailer and come to a slow stop. Terry shuts the van off and removes the keys, pocketing them. This really is their destination. The man steps out of the van and walks around to the passenger side. Edd is hesitant to exit the vehicle. This place makes him uncomfortable. When Edd doesn't step out after Terry opens the door, the man grabs his arm, pulling him from the van.

Edd stumbles along after him as Terry approaches the door to the trailer. The boy takes a moment to study it. It's a bright purple, but the coloring is faded from weathering and age. Edd guesses the mobile home is a couple of decades old. He doesn't have much time to look over the dwelling, however, as Terry unlocks the door and pulls him inside. They enter through the kitchen and Edd is shoved forward, into the table. As the boy recovers, Terry shuts the door and locks it with the key and a special lock at the top of the door frame, which Edd realizes as he looks at it, that he would not be able to reach.

With a sigh, Edd returns his attention to Terry, who is walking over to the refrigerator, opening the door with a grin. Inside, Edd can see that there isn't much food within and the most it has are a few cases of beer. He begins to wonder how often Terry would come to this place if the refrigerator is always stocked with alcohol. There are a few food items there as well. Edd catches glimpses of a few of them; slices of American cheese, eggs, milk, water, and deli meats. His stomach growls, reminding Edd that he hadn't eaten for a full day. Terry seems to hear it and chuckles.

"Hungry, sweetheart?" he chortles, "Well, you've been a pretty good boy during our little ride. Maybe I can be…persuaded to fix you somethin' to eat."

Edd hardly notices the suggestive tone as he brings his still shackled hands to his chest. Terry notices this and stands straight again, beer in hand.

"Guess I can get those off first," he grumbles as he retrieves the key for the handcuffs.

The boy's eyes are locked on the beer that Terry places on the table. Why did this man insist on drinking that vile beverage around him? When his hands are finally free, Edd rubs his sore wrists. The flesh there is still a bit red from when he had hung from the branch, but he finds that it's less painful than it had been.

Terry takes a seat at the table, putting his feet up as he opens the beer with his teeth like he had before. He takes a long swig. Thanks to his little princess, he'd been sober for much too long. The way he sees it, it's about time to fix that. Edd, however, seems to have other plans. The sight of Terry downing that wretched alcohol, combined with his upset over the situation in general lights the fire in Edd.

"I demand you take me back to the park this _instant_!" he shouts.

Terry laughs; "It's a little late for that, Princess. And you should be talking a little nicer to me, don'tcha think?" With a smirk, he lowers his feet to the ground. "Why don't you come over here and sit in my lap? Keep me company?"

Edd starts to see red.

"Enough!" he cries, "I've had just about enough of your lewd suggestions and your alcoholic activities!" Terry merely laughs at his words, infuriating the boy even more. "And I'm sick of you laughing at me like that!"

Without thinking, he smacks the beer from Terry's hand. He recoils from the act when he realizes what he's done. The man had been distracted, drawing Edd to conclude that that is why he'd been able to knock the bottle from the man's large hand. The bottle shatters on the tiled floor and the remaining beer puddles amongst the shards of glass. Terry's face darkens and he turns to Edd with murder in his eyes.

"_That_ is the second beer you've wasted!" he growls as he stands.

He grabs the table with one hand and, in one swift motion, flips it into the wall. Edd quivers in fear, backing away and holding his hands up in defense.

"I-I'm sorry!" he whimpers, "I d-d-don't know what came over me! I d-didn't mean it!"

"What's it gonna take for you to learn that you don't _fucking_ waste my beer?!" Terry roars as he approaches him.

Edd backs up into a corner, clutching his hat. His body is shaking like a leaf as the man bears down on him. Terry observes Edd in his rage. The kid is clinging desperately to that hat and pulling it down harder over his head, stretching it. Curiosity bleeds into his anger and he grabs the front of the boy's shirt, yanking him close. His fingers dig into the fabric of the hat, clutching it tightly into his hand.

"The _fuck_ are you hiding now?!" he demands.

Edd begins to panic; "N-No! Please! Not tha—!"

Before he can finish, the hat is pulled off his head. His black hair falls free, one or two bobby pins falling to the floor. His hair had always been difficult to manage, not excessively long, but fringed at the ends. The bobby pins would keep any of the longer strands in place under the hat. Edds hands came up to hide the real reason he wore the hat. A scar that came down from his hairline. The boy is certain it goes back a bit farther, but he's fortunate to say that his hair hid most of it. Terry grabs Edd's hands and pulls them away so he can see what he's hiding. He grins a bit in sadistic delight at the scar.

"Looks like someone already broke you," he speaks in a low, dark voice, tracing the scarred flesh, "But I'll do my best to make it happen again…"

Edd flinches and tries to pull away from him.

"P-Please!" he begs, "Have mercy!"

Terry grimaces and grabs Edd's wrist, dragging him down the hallway. Edd screams, begging for him to let go. They approach a room, bare with the exception of a poorly made bed. He grabs both of Edd's shoulders after entering the barren room, holding the boy in front of him.

"Maybe a lil time alone will drive the message home that you _do not_ fuck with my beer!" he growls.

With as much force as he has, he throws Edd onto the bed. The boy cries out in pain as his head hits the wall behind the bed hard. He's blinded by the pain for a moment, his eyelids fluttering. After a moment, he slips into unconsciousness.

Terry watches him for a moment before retrieving the camera around his neck. One last picture couldn't hurt; especially with the boy laid out and looking as pretty as he does now. He approaches the bed. Cupping Edd's cheek, he turns the boy's head so that the scar is visible. Oh yes, it will really kill Eddy to see his little girlfriend like this. With a grin, he raises the camera for the final photo. The shutter clicks and the photo is dispensed. He chuckles as he turns back to the door, shaking the developing photo as he exits the room.

This had been his bedroom when he and his parents had still been living here. Where grungy posters once littered the walls, a bland, peeling wallpaper is now affixed. There's a small window over the bed, but it was never possible to open it. The only way in or out of the small room is the door, which Terry is now standing near. He looks back at Edd with a grim fondness as he retrieves one of the many keys he kept on his person. The boy will be out for a while, he imagines.

Just long enough for him to finish his little errand and return for him.

"Sleep tight, my little Princess," he purrs deviously as he closes and locks the door behind him.

**R&R and thank you!**


	4. On The Edd Path

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Author's Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: I had small amounts of input in this chapter. I was too busy doing other stuff (*cough* Fan girling over Raphael...*Cough*) and Battygirl was super content with writing, so I let her do this entire chapter alone! I kinda feel a little sad though cuz I didn't do anything...Oh, well, Chapter 5 is mostly written by me so far..._

_Battygirl: Hey guys! I realize it's been a little while since chapter 3. Uh…this one's kind've on me, actually. I pretty much wrote this chapter beginning to end. DuoXKouga still had input — I still collaborated with her to get an understanding of the chapter because this is our story, not mine — but I pretty much wrote this chapter myself, if only to get something out sooner, since my cowriter is very busy lately. I'm pretty happy with it personally, but, if ya don't like it as much, then, just know it's my bad and I take full responsibility. Also, while I was writing this one, DuoXKouga started on chapter 5, so that one might come out relatively soon…at least compared to the others. Don't quote me on that, though. Life hates us right now and likes to fuck with our writing._

_My gosh, I sincerely apologize for what happened with chapter 3. There was a large chunk that had been removed somehow in the transfer from my computer to DuoXKouga's and a good thousand words were removed. That error has been fixed. I'm not sure what happened, but I suppose this is just one of those things that comes with long-distance collaborations. I apologize for the inconvenience and for the confusion any of you faced reading that chapter. I will do my best in the future to make sure it doesn't happen again._

_That all being said, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews. We really appreciate everything you guys write to us. Please, don't even hesitate to leave a review. We both love hearing what you think. Your kind words really keep us going and the critiques always help us improve. As long as there are readers out there who want to see this through, then it will be completed; I assure you. Alright, I'm done with my rambling. DuoXKouga, proceed with the chapter!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: On The Edd Path<strong>

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><p>The first thing Eddy chooses to do after Rolf finally manages to wrangle Wilfred is look for anything they can use to track his brother. He and Ed, unfortunately, have little to nothing of Edd's on them. They'd abandoned the cul-de-sac without any of their personal belongings. Therefore, they'd need something of his brother's. After a quick survey of the trailer, they choose one of the man's spare jerseys.<p>

Eddy hasn't spoken much since finding the photo of the trailer, which he pocketed soon after showing it to the others. He had asked the Kankers to take a few bags he'd found in his brother's trailer and find and pack plenty of food and water for the trip, but that was the last incident of him speaking. Kevin finds himself unnerved by it. Any other time, it was hard to get the kid to _stop_ talking. Now he's standing silently, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes cast to the ground. As much of a relief it is to not hear Eddy's grating voice, Kevin starts to miss it. It would at least allow them a moment of normalcy.

Rolf approaches the short boy with Wilfred under his arm. He and Ed have fashioned a makeshift leash out of objects from the trailer. Nothing sordid; mostly socks and shoelaces and the like, though Eddy is sure there are much more disturbing things to be found amongst the mess in the dwelling. Setting Wilfred down on the ground, Rolf permits Ed to man the leash as he turns to Eddy.

"Do you have the object of tracking for Wilfred to detect a scent from?" he asks eagerly.

"English, Stretch," Eddy grumbles, rolling his eyes.

"Right here, dude," Kevin walks up to Rolf and holds up the jersey.

Rolf takes the piece of clothing, muttering a quick 'thank you', before grabbing Wilfred's snout. He holds the shirt to the pig's nose and lets the animal sniff at the material.

"Rolf, c'mon," Eddy groans, "You _really_ think that thing can track my brother down?"

"But of course!" Rolf announces, pounding his chest with his fist proudly, "When Rolf began his journey to hunt down you foolhardy Ed-boys and came across the wreckage of the metal monstrosity in the desert, Rolf used one of Double D Ed-boy's labels for tracking!"

Eddy cocks his brow. He has to admit, it's impressive. The pig had arrived here without Rolf, instead leading Sarah and Jimmy. That must mean that Wilfred is fully capable of tracking when following a scent like that. There had been an instance during their expedition when the three Eds had even traveled over water and had been soaked from a dip in some swamp. The pig had still found them. It relaxes Eddy some.

"We're back!"

They turn their attention to the Kankers, who are approaching them. May and Lee are wearing the backpacks Eddy gave them, and they have some snacks in hand.

"Who's hungry?" Lee asks, holding out a handful of corn dogs.

Ed eagerly grabs a couple of them, bringing one back for Eddy. The shorter boy shrugs and takes a bite. He doesn't taste much, but he attributes that to his own worries.

"Don't eat too much, though," May warns them as Kevin and Rolf gratefully take one each, "We couldn't find a lot."

"Yeah," Marie grumbles, "Lee's mostly got bottles of water and May's got bags of popcorn and pretzels and junk."

Eddy shrugs. As long as they ration what they have, it'd do just fine. After a moment, Wilfred lets out a loud squeal and buries his nose into the ground, following the path that the van had taken out of the park. The kids share a look and follow, Ed clutching the leash in his hands as he gobbles down his corn dog.

"Well it's about time!" Marie groans as she munches on a pretzel, "We wasted, like, a freakin' hour with that bullshit!"

"You're right," Eddy snarls sarcastically, "We should've started chasing after the van right away to get left in the damn dust. I'm sure we woulda found Sockhead in, what, a fuckin' _month_ after that?! Oh, or maybe we would've _starved_ to death first?"

Marie returns his glare; "At least we woulda gotten a better start! Who knows where that jerk took my Double D!"

Eddy grits his teeth. _He ain't_ your _Double D!_ he wants to spit back. He knows that's futile, though. It would only spark an unnecessary argument. As much as Eddy wants to yell and scream and make the Kankers understand just what they do to the boys they constantly push their affections onto, he also knows there's not enough time to do so. In a way, Marie is right. They wasted too much time at the park. They need to get moving.

For roughly half an hour, Eddy guesses, they follow the tracks in the dirt. After the several mile trek, the tire tracks end at a paved road. Eddy grimaces. There are cars traveling along the road, but not many. Most of the windows are dark, but in some, Eddy can see that their group is receiving strange looks. He's not surprised by that. They look pretty odd. Four boys who are covered in cuts, bruises and a thick layer of dirt, three girls who look like they want to murder someone and a pig on a leash.

It also doesn't surprise Eddy in the least that not one person stops to ask if they're okay.

His attention returns to Wilfred as the pig walks along the side of the road, nose pressed into the ground. They follow wordlessly. For a long time, none of them talk. May will sometimes try to start a game to pass the time. No one ever joins in. They appreciate her efforts, but no one is in a gaming mood. They follow the stretch of road for several miles more. Time is dragging on. Eddy considers asking if any of them know the time.

He says nothing. It would only be a grim reminder that they have a time limit.

Suddenly, Wilfred comes to a stop. He sniffs at the ground, but lifts his snout. They quickly see why. On the ground, in shatters, lies the remains of a nearly opaque bottle. There's liquid puddled around it and staining the asphalt. Rolf stoops down to investigate. He dips his fingers into what little liquid is puddled there and brings it up to his nose to sniff it himself. Almost immediately, he jerks back in disgust.

"What _is_ this foul concoction?!" he demands.

Eddy grabs his hand to try to discern the smell. He shares Rolf disgusted reaction.

"Ugh! It's booze," he grumbles, "I smell it on my dad a lot when he's home. And my brother's trailer _reeked_ of it…"

"What's it doing on the ground like that?" Kevin asks, confused.

Eddy shrugs; "Hell if I know…"

Carefully, he picks through the pieces of glass. It's not long before he finds a label. It's easy to recognize.

"This looks like the label that's on all the bottles in my bro's trailer…" he notes, more to himself than to the others.

"Do you think your brother was drinking this?" Lee asks.

"Maybe," Eddy rubs the back of his neck, still muttering as if to himself, "But if I know Terry, he wouldn't just throw one of these out…"

"Terry?" May echoes, confused.

Eddy ignores her as he thinks all of this over; "Looks like this just happened a little while ago. It's definitely my brother's beer — I saw cases of it all over the trailer. And, if I know Double D, he probably threw it out if he saw Bro drinking it…Which probably didn't end well for him…"

Ed gasps; "Is Double D okay?!"

"Take it easy, Lumpy," Eddy sighs and scratches his head some, "I'm sure Double D's okay. My brother's going to all the trouble of taking him from us, I don't think he'd do anything too bad to him…" he turns to Rolf, "Either way, it looks like the pig really _can_ track…Think it can keep going?"

"Of course!" Rolf assures him, "_Wilfred!_ Let us continue!"

The pig lets out a loud squeal before continuing its waddling along the side of the road. Patting Ed's back, Eddy urges him to move on. The shorter boy's mind races as they walk along. He worries what his brother may have done to Edd. It never took much to push Terry until he snapped. He worries what the man may have done to his friend if the boy had indeed angered him as he believes. He glances at Ed. His taller companion is just as worried and is wearing it on his sleeves. The long face is contorted in a pout, monobrow furrowed and eyes big and threatening to produce an endless stream of tears. Even when he and Edd had had their big fight and Ed had tried to intervene, Eddy hadn't seen him so distraught. It was unnerving to see.

He has to remain hopeful, if only for Ed's sake.

_**—**_

They walk for ages. Minutes pass slowly into hours as they walk aimlessly. After some time, they slow to a stop. Wilfred slumps to the ground in exhaustion. Ed follows shortly after. Eddy looks over their group. Everyone looks miserable. Stopping to rest shouldn't take too long. They can catch their breath, refuel, and be off again.

"Alright, guys," he pants, "Let's take a break."

Looking around, they spot some trees close to the road. With the help of the Kankers, they're able to carry Ed and Wilfred into the shade. Taking a seat, the girls remove their packs. Lee passes out bottles of water, which the group drinks gratefully. Rolf offers Wilfred some of the snacks that May and Marie retrieve for them and a drink from the bottle of water, which the pig enjoys greedily. Ed takes his food and water and practically inhales them. Eddy watches him as he drinks lazily from his own bottle. He thinks about telling him to slow down, but realizes the futility in such an effort. As for himself, he only accepts a small snack and nibbles at it here and there. His appetite is about gone at the moment. Marie eats angrily, her eyes cast to the ground in a glare. Lee and May seem most content as they eat, glad for the rest and the shade. Kevin looks thoughtful as he enjoys his meager meal. He glances to Rolf.

"Hey, dude, you know a lot about survival stuff, right?" he asks.

The foreigner glances to him curiously; "Rolf is versed well in the ways of nature, Kevin, if that is what you're asking?"

"Yeah, well…" Kevin shrugs uncomfortably, "Can you use the sun or whatever to figure out what time it is?"

Kevin spots Eddy raising his head slightly, eyes on Rolf. Raising his eyes to the sky and squinting in the light, Rolf thinks carefully.

"Judging by the position of the sun," the dark haired boy replies, thinking carefully, "Rolf estimates the time to be around noon."

Kevin looks surprised by that. Is it _really_ noon already? He removes his hat and runs his fingers over his short hair and long bangs. Uneasily, he glances back to Eddy. The boy looks close to panicking. Lee notices it too.

"Hey, Eddy," she begins uncertainly, "Is there anything you can tell us about your brother? Somethin' we can use to track him down?"

Eddy shakes his head; "All I have are stories that I either made up or that he told me…and he probably made _those_ up too…" He rubs his head, licking his lips. "He left when I was still in diapers. What little I _do_ remember is mostly about our scams. And mom and dad never liked talking about him…"

"Then how the heck did you find him at the amusement park?" Kevin asks suspiciously.

Hurt flashes across Eddy's downcast eyes.

"Double D…" he mumbles, "He followed fake clues I gave him…Some of it was dumb luck, but…but it was mostly Double D…"

The group is taken aback by this before sadness returns. If Edd had been their key to finding the man before, what hope did this group have now without his deductive reasoning? Eddy sighs and takes fistfuls of his hair into his shaking hands. Half of the day had already come and gone and he worries that they're no closer than when they had started. Jumping to his feet, he starts to walk around, anxiety gripping him and compelling him to just…_move_.

"Dude, where are you going?!" Kevin demands.

"I'm not leaving," Eddy assures him his chest heaving, "I just…I-I need to…"

Lee watches him carefully before scoffing.

"Go take a walk, shorty," she commands almost gently, "If you ain't gonna eat, you may as well try to cool off or somethin'." She raises her head. Though he can't see them, Eddy assumes she's brought her eyes up to meet his. "We'll try to be quick. Then we'll get back to walkin'."

Nodding, Eddy turns away from them and starts wandering. Ed watches him with a pout. Eddy isn't acting like himself.

As the shorter boy walks, he tries to assess his situation. His feet are aching, but all he wants to do is walk. It's an aimless feeling. They've no heading to go by and, without Edd's intelligence backing them up, they can't decipher the half-truths Eddy knows about his brother. He considers allowing the Kankers to make the attempt. When the girls would put their heads together, they would prove themselves very resourceful. He strikes that from his thoughts. The girls are also reckless. He doubts they will think carefully before acting. That's not what they need now.

He sighs and comes to a stop just before their shady spot ends. Numbly, he stares over the virtually barren wasteland around him. If he squints, he can spot two or three billboards dotting the landscape in the distance. Cars continue to roll past them. A few slow some, but never stop. Eddy wants to flag them down, to beg and plead for a ride; for _help_. His brother's words keep him frozen in place.

_No cops, no folks, no one but you and those anklebiters behind you…_

He wonders for a moment if that meant he _could_ ask some random stranger for help, but realizes that, even if it did, the person he chose to ask may try to get the police involved. Eddy wants so bad to just _do_ that, but he fears Edd's safety if he did. He's floored by the unfairness of their situation. His brother had his van — a vehicle that will get him far from the park and fast — and he _knows_ where he's going. Ed, Eddy and the others had their feet and only an ancient photo to go by. Looking back at the cars, Eddy again considers the option to ask for a ride. His brother never truly forbade _that_. They wouldn't even have to reveal _why_ they are traveling alone like this either, right? He shakes his head. No. That'd never work. The people would wonder where their parents are. Seven kids wandering around unsupervised? It would certainly be enough to alert the authorities.

Acknowledging that he's thinking in circles, Eddy turns back to the group. He's glad they're here. The task ahead of them is so large and nearly impossible. But, as he looks at them, he feels a small swell of optimism. Even the Kankers, who had been the bane of the Eds' existence, are a welcome presence in this dark hour. He sees them gathering up the leftover food and returning it to the packs. The water is packed up as well. Ed is waving him over.

Time to go.

—

"And then we came shooting out of the pipe and into this nasty swamp!" Kevin laughs.

Eddy rolls his eyes, trying to fight the grin that's creeping up on his face as Ed bursts into a fit of laughter. Rolf and the girls are laughing as well as Kevin recounts the events he and Nazz underwent to hunt down the Eds. Despite the subject matter, Eddy finds it humorous. After their lunch, the group decided telling stories would be a good way to keep up their morale, or, at the very least, pass the time.

"Oh ho!" Rolf claps his friend on the back, boasting a hearty laugh, "Casanova Kevin-boy's troubles with Go-Go Nazz-girl are nothing compared to the trials overcome by the son of a shepherd!"

"Oh yeah?" Kevin grins, realizing the gruffer boy had taken his story as a challenge, "And what was so bad about _your_ trip?"

"Rolf endured many tribulations in his efforts to hunt down the Good-for-Nothing Ed-Boys," comes the enthusiastic reply, "Wilfred attacked Rolf in a blind fury before running away."

"Oh, so _that's_ why the pig showed up with the twerps?" May notes with a giggle, "He musta found 'em before _we_ could."

"_Rolf is telling the story!_" Rolf glares in her direction. It silences further speech, but she continues to giggle over the stories. "Now, where was I…? Ah yes! Wilfred abandoned Rolf and left Rolf's head stuck in a meat grinder."

"A what?!" Kevin gawks, "Dude, how are you…_alive_?"

Rolf chortles; "It will take more than a weak grinder to put an end to the son of a shepherd!"

Eddy laughs under his breath; "I guess so…"

"You doubt Rolf's strength?!" Rolf asks, turning to Eddy, "Poppycock! Rolf _is_, after all, the proud owner of the Hairy Chest of Resilience Badge. Or do you forget our contest, No-Neck Ed-boy?"

Eddy rolls his eyes; "Not gonna lie, Rolfy-boy, I can't remember a lot from that day…"

"I can!" Ed raises his hand excitedly, "Rolf and Eddy did lots of cool stunts all day! Then Rolf won and got that cool badge while Double D played nurse with Eddy!"

The group snickers some as Eddy shoots the taller Ed a smug grin. His mood has improved slightly with their talk — even his appetite is starting to come back. He munches absentmindedly from a bag of popcorn as they walk, sharing with the others when asked. Eddy hadn't thought about that day much, but Ed was right. Edd had been by his side that whole day, bandaging his wounds, drying his tears, and nursing him back to health. Kevin wipes away a tear that had escaped his eye from laughter and looks to Eddy.

"So what happened with you guys?" he asks, his laughter slowing, "Any crazy stories on your end?"

"Well…" Eddy grins, shaking off the bad feelings as he thinks of where to start.

A horn, however, silences him. They turn as a car comes to a slow stop beside them on the shoulder. They regard the driver warily as the window rolls down. It's an older woman, probably in her mid-thirties. She's looking at them with worried eyes.

"Are you kids alright?" she asks, brow furrowed as she looks between them.

Eddy hesitates, looking around at his friends. They have to be careful about this. He glances at Ed.

"Ed, if you care about finding Double D, you'll leave this to me," Eddy warns him in a hushed tone.

The taller boy's eyes go wide and he nods, covering his mouth to prevent himself from speaking. Taking a calming breath, Eddy approaches the window with a charismatic grin.

"Uh, yeah," he answers, "We're just, uh…walkin' home from the park. Just left Mondo A-Go-Go."

"That _filthy_ place?" the woman guffaws, "I wasn't aware it was still in business."

"I know, right?" Eddy forces a laugh, "That's why we're on our way home. Place sucked pretty bad."

"Where are your parents?" the woman demands, "Do they know you're out here alone?"

Eddy hesitates only a moment; "Uh…yeah. Sure they do. We don't live too much farther down the road. They figured since we're in a big group, we'd be okay."

"What?!" the woman is shocked, "That's awful! You're just children!"

"Listen, lady," Marie steps forward, pointing an accusing finger at the woman, "We ain't babies! We can handle things just fine on our own!"

The woman bristles, taking offense to Marie's words. Eddy looks between them anxiously before gently nudging Marie out of the way.

"Uh, d-don't mind her," he stutters, "She's just a little cranky. That park was a pretty big downer, ya know? Say, ma'am, you uh…You wouldn't happen to have the time, would ya?"

The woman looks taken aback, but checks the clock on her radio display.

"Er…Yes," she squints a bit, as though lost in thought, "it's about 2:36…"

Eddy's eyes widen only a little before he calms himself again. He forces a smile.

"Aw man, that late already?" he chuckles, brushing his hair back, "We better get goin' if we wanna make it home before dark."

"Do you kids need a ride?" the woman offers, rooting through her purse, "I have a cell phone — I could call your parents to come pick you up."

"No!" Eddy corrects himself and tries to wave it off. He does his best to keep his cool, "Don't worry about it. We'll make it home soon enough. Thanks though."

He flashes her a sweet, reassuring smile. She returns it, though with a bit of reservation.

"Okay, then…" she gives them all another once-over before returning her gaze to Eddy, "You kids be safe, okay?"

Eddy gives her his most charming smile before backing away from the door again. She waves at them sweetly before pulling away again. When she's out of their sights, Eddy heaves a sigh and wipes his forehead.

"Dude, you're pretty good at that…" Kevin notes.

"Eddy's the _man_!" Ed cheers.

The shorter boy shrugs; "If there's one thing I'm glad to have learned from my brother, it's how to sweet talk…"

"But what if she calls the cops or something?" May asks, concerned.

"I don't think we need to worry about that," Lee scoffs.

Kevin cocks his brow, "What do you mean?"

"Nobody else on this road's even bothered to stop to check on us," Lee notes, "That lady was one in a million. And not in the good way."

Marie nods in agreement; "She'll probably wonder if we made it home okay, but she stopped to check on us so she'll probably think that's enough effort."

"She's right," Eddy confirms, "My brother told me that's how people work. They'll do as little as they can most of the time — just enough to feel like they've done _something_ to help — but, really, they don't do shit."

"Well, now that that little problem has passed," Kevin shoves his hands in his pockets, "We better get a move on…"

With that, they allow Wilfred to continue waddling along and follow.

—

Hours pass. They stop frequently for breaks at least once an hour. They'll stop, rest their feet, then it's back to walking. The group is much more talkative than before, reminiscing and trying to keep their spirits up. It doesn't last too long, though. As the hours pass, so too does their morale. Their talking ceases as they feel themselves becoming more and more irritated. Finally, they near a long stretch of clustered trees. The pig slows. Wilfred circles the ground a few times. He looks around, makes a few grunting noises and goes back to circling. He seems confused. Eddy feels his eye twitching.

"What the hell is it doing now, Rolf?!" he demands.

"Rolf is just as confused as you, ill-tempered Ed-boy," the foreign boy replies, scratching the back of his head.

"It's _supposed_ to be finding Terry!" Eddy shouts impatiently, "Why isn't it doing _that_?!"

"Terry?" Rolf echoes, "Is it not Eddy's Brother we are searching for?"

Eddy groans in frustration and smacks his own forehead; "Terry _is_ my brother, you idiot!"

"Chill man!" Kevin steps forward to defend his friend, "It ain't like you ever actually _told_ us that's his name before now!"

Eddy whips around to face Kevin; "Who the fuck _else_ could I have meant?!"

"Enough of your squabbling!" Rolf cries, stepping between them, "We are wasting time! We must find our heading!"

"And what're _you_ doing to help?!" Eddy rages, "What are _any_ of you doing to help?!"

"Stop it, guys!" Ed cries, "No more fighting!"

"I don't see _you_ doing any more!" Marie shrieks, pointing an accusing finger at Eddy, "You're the one who let him get away with my sweetheart in the first place!"

Ed feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The fury radiating off of his shorter companion is deeply unsettling. He turns to Eddy, eyes wide, as the boy shakes in pure rage. Lee and May see it too. They grab Marie and pull her back from the confrontation. Cautiously, Ed approaches Eddy. The boy looks like he's about to explode. Lee tries to diffuse the situation.

"Look," she begins carefully, "It's been a long day of nothin' but walking. We're all just tired…We need to take a breather here."

Eddy doesn't seem to be listening to her. His face is red, his teeth: grinding. His hands are clenched into tight fists and he's shaking. Carefully Ed tries to pull Eddy into a hug. Eddy smacks him away.

"Don't touch me, Ed!" he snaps. There are tears in his voice.

"But Eddy!" Ed whines, "The Evil Darkside will swallow you up!"

"I'm fine, Ed!" Eddy cries back, storming away, "Leave me alone!"

"Where do you think you're going, Dorky?!" Kevin yells, "We're trying to find Double D, remember?!"

Eddy ignores him, stomping off past a number of trees. There's a lump in his throat. Even if he could have answered Kevin, he doesn't want to. Tears are stinging the corners of his eyes. He rubs his knuckles into his eyes so hard it hurts to make the tears stop. The great mood he'd finally found himself in is now gone completely. He's beginning to feel helpless. They'd been at this all day and hadn't found hide nor hair of his brother or Edd. He's beginning to fear the worst and is realizing that this may be hopeless. But did that bitch _really_ have to bring that up?! Of _course_ he knows this mess is his fault. She doesn't have to keep opening the wound.

He grunts as he runs face-first into one of the thicker trees. Glaring through his teary eyes, he starts hitting and kicking the tree with his fists and feet. He wants to tear it out of the ground and alleviate his pain and anger. The tree doesn't budge. His strikes leave no damage to the bark.

Eddy deflates, his anger ebbing some in defeat. He bows his head and leans his forehead against the tree. His nails dig into the bark of the tree as he keeps fighting the tears. There's been enough crying from him today. He sees Edd's face in his mind. His smile, broken by the gap in his teeth. His bright, green eyes that would shine with excitement at the prospect of a new invention or scam. He hears his voice echoing in his thoughts. His giggly laugh, his scientific ramblings, his nagging over hygiene. Even the things about Edd that had often annoyed him are suddenly so endearing in his memory.

Deep breaths. One…two…

His eyes open to the ground below him as he calms. Vaguely, he hears footsteps and grunting approaching him. Voices.

"…somewhere around here, I think," he's able to catch the end of a gruff, but feminine voice noting aloud. Lee.

"What's his _deal_ man?!" comes the angry complaint from Kevin's scratchy voice.

"Like I said," Lee's voice grumbles back, "It's been a long day. My man's just worn out and cranky."

Eddy heaves a sigh and turns his head in their direction, keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. He stops. Set faintly into the dirt, he can just make out the vague silhouette of a footprint. As his eyes raise, he can see more walking away from his oncoming comrades. Apprehension grips him like a vice. He tries to write the tracks off as nothing. Surely they're the remnant of some passerby that happened to walk through this way. Curiosity takes him. He starts following the tracks. The others spot him and attempt to flag him down.

"Ed-boy!" Rolf is yelling after him, "Return to the group so we may continue the hunt!"

Eddy ignores him. His feet are moving on their own and picking up their pace. He feels compelled to follow this trail. In his head, he's skeptical. The footprints look as though they could belong to his brother, but he knows it's just as possible, if not more so, that they don't. So much is telling him _no_. But something inside him, something instinctual, is screaming _yes_.

That voice is louder.

The footprints end at a tall tree. Eddy has to crane his neck to even catch a peek of the top. His breath comes out heavily, the running and his own frayed nerves having winded him. His eyes dart around him. As farfetched as the idea is, he feels so confident that his instincts are correct; that he'll find something here. Sure the tracks could have been made by some random person. But who else would be out here in this place? Who would just leave the main road for no foreseeable reason?

He wanders around the tree some. The footsteps do the same. He stops when they do. His eyes follow them as they turn from the tree and move away. Confused, he looks to the tree. What was this person doing and why were they so interested in this spot? His eyes widen and his body freezes. After a moment, his shoulders slump. The others are hot on his trail, willing Wilfred to move faster as they chase after him.

He leans up on the tips of his toes, resting one hand on the tree for balance. With his other hand, he retrieves the object that's sticking to the tree. It's a photo taken with a Polaroid camera. When he has the photo in his grasp, he sinks back down and brings the other hand up to join the one holding the picture. His eyes are glued to the image. His brother had _definitely_ been here.

He stares down at Edd's face. His friend is scared, but seems to be clinging to his anger. Eddy sees instantly why. His brother had been cruel enough to put handcuffs on the boy and hang him by his wrists from a branch. Looking at his friend's wrists, he cringes. They're red from the metal pressing hard against the soft skin. There are bruises all over Edd's arms. He can see hints of bruising on Edd's face and around his neck. The one that his eyes remain on longest is there on Edd's neck as well. It's more red than the other bruises, which are more purple. Bruises like that aren't made by being hit. A bruise like that is made by sucking on the skin. He starts to see red.

There's no way Edd could have done that to himself…

"Eddy?" he blinks a couple of times as Ed's voice distracts him.

He looks up at the group, they're staring at his hands. They can't see what he's looking at, only that he's holding something. Ed approaches him first.

"What'd you find, Eddy?" he asks curiously.

Before Eddy can stop him, Ed sees the photo. It's snatched from his hands. Ed holds it close to his face, on the verge of panicking.

"What's he done to our Double D?!" Ed cries, "He looks so hurt, Eddy!"

Eddy groans and turns to him; "Ed, don't do tha—"

He stops as he spots the back of the photo. There's writing there.

"Gimme that!" he demands, snatching the picture from the taller Ed. His eyes dart over the words.

_Caught the scent, have you, Pipsqueak? Here's a lil reward for you, then. Keep it up and they'll get better and better. Good luck._

_— Bro_

_Oh and by the way, you shoulda told me your little girlfriend could give such good head._

Eddy's eyes are locked on the words. He's not sure how to process this. He understands what his brother meant by the added message beneath his signature. A whirlwind of feelings accost him. Anger, horror, worry…hurt. To think that his brother would do…_that_ to his friend. Everything feels muted. Sounds. Sight. Touch. He feels numb.

Ed looks between Eddy and the photo in worry; "What's it say, Eddy?"

Eddy blinks a couple of times to bring himself from his trance. He looks around at the others for a moment. His eyes settle on Ed and he shakes his head to wake himself fully. Licking his thumb, he drags it and his nail over the last line of the message. He knows Ed won't understand its meaning, but he doesn't want to explain it to him when the taller boy asks.

"Are you gonna show us what you found or not?!" Marie demands, snatching the photo from him. Anger flares up inside of her upon seeing the image. "Who the heck does he think he is?!"

"Yeah!" Lee agrees, looking over her shoulder, "We're the only ones who can hang our boyfriends up like that!"

"Lemme see that!" Kevin snatches the picture from him, "Jeez, man! Your brother's fuckin' _sick_!"

Rolf looks over his shoulder; "Why is Double D Ed-boy strung up like a slab of freshly cut meat?"

"Alright, enough!" Eddy roars, snatching the picture away from them, "Look, according to this, we're going the right way!" He points behind him to where the tracks retreat. "I found his footprints that led to where this was hanging, and if your fuckin' pig follows them or whatever, maybe we can get back on track."

Rolf looks back and forth between Wilfred and Eddy before nodding in affirmation.

"Give Rolf the photo so Wilfred can get a stronger scent," he demands gently, holding his hand out.

Reluctantly, Eddy hands the photo to Rolf. The foreigner holds it to Wilfred's snout and allows the pig to sniff at the Polaroid. When done, he hands the picture back to Eddy, who looks at it with a sad fondness before placing it into his pocket. With a sigh, he turns in the directions the footprints lead.

"Let's get going."

—

It's hours before they find another clue. The sun is hanging pretty low in the sky, limiting their light. Rolf, luckily, is able to create a torch, which he uses to light the way. After finding the first photo and following Terry's footprints, they come across more tire tracks. Unfortunately, the man didn't remain on the dirt path for long, as the tracks soon lead back to the paved road. However, Wilfred still has the scent and the change of terrain the vehicle traveled on doesn't deter him.

As the sun begins to set, they come across a car resting, abandoned, in a ditch. Wilfred approaches it, sniffing around the tires. Curiously, Eddy looks into the car. He scans the interior and gasps softly. On the passenger seat is another Polaroid. Running around the car, he finds that the passenger window has been broken in. He tries the door handle. Unlocked. He sighs in relief; he wasn't looking forward to reaching through the broken window to open this door. Being careful of the broken glass, he retrieves the Polaroid. He backs out of the car, tripping over a rock and landing roughly on his backside.

Rolf rushes to his side; "Are you injured, Head-and-Neck-is-One Ed-boy?"

Eddy glances at him and grabs the hand holding the torch, holding it over the photo. He's glad to see that Edd isn't hanging from anything this time. The photo itself was taken much closer to the boy, showing him only from his chest up. From what Eddy can see, the boy is against a tree, cowering. For a moment, Eddy worries why that is. Edd's cowering may mean that his brother was getting violent with him. Upon closer examination, though, worry fades to anger. In the dim light, he can just make out a blue strip on Edd's hat. It's one of his friend's labels. He curses under his breath. His brother had found Edd's label maker.

"Double D looks so scared!" he hears Ed boom to his right.

The boy is standing behind him, looking over his shoulder at the photo. He reaches to take it. Eddy holds the photo at bay.

"No, Ed," he nearly whimpers.

Despite his efforts, the picture is taken from his hands by Marie. She grimaces.

"The fuck is this shit?!" she cries, "_Mine_?! Like hell he is! Double D is _my_ boyfriend! That fucker can't just claim him when I already have!"

Eddy shoots her a hateful glare and grabs the Polaroid back from her. Flipping the photo over, he looks for a message. Indeed, Terry had written something there. Squinting he can just make out the words.

_Tick Tock, Pipsqueak. Time's running fast. Better pick up the pace if you ever wanna see your lil girlfriend outside of a picture again._

_— Bro_

Eddy growls a bit. Now the man is mocking him. He looks to the sky which is fading quickly to black. He glances around him. The others have gathered around, waiting for Eddy to suggest their next course of action. The boy sighs and looks down the road.

"Let's try to walk as far as we can…" he suggests, "Maybe look for a safer place to rest for the night…"

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><p>Rate and Review...Flames will be used for smores!<p> 


	5. Make Him An Edd He Can't Refuse

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>DuoXKouga: We are very slow at updating. Very stressed about things and we hope to have the next chapter up soon-ish. Hope you guys enjoy it. Once again, we apologize for slow updates lately!<em>

_Battygirl: Sorry again for the slow updates. Things have been kind've rough lately. We'll see what we can do about getting chapter 6 out quicker…I'll also do what I can to make sure there are no more issues with the chapters. I don't know what keeps happening. I'll keep a close eye on it from now on and hopefully those issues won't pop up anymore. As always, reviews are most welcome._

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Make Him An Edd He Can't Refuse<strong>

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><p>Edd groans as a sharp, throbbing pain makes itself known to him as he lays on the bed, trying to gather his scrambled thoughts.<p>

"Eddy…?" he whimpers at the pain in his head as he tries to raise himself into a sitting position.

He fails several times before his shaking arms finally manage to lift his body up. Sitting Indian style, he cradles his head in his hands. His eyes snap open when he feels the absence of his hat. Panic takes him as he looks around desperately for it. Slowly, images appear in his mind as he recalls what happened before he blacked out. He can feel his bottom lip tremble as tears gather in his eyes. _No._ He gives a small sniffle. He must remain strong.

However, staying strong doesn't mean he can deny the unfairness he is facing. He can't believe he had lost his hat to that brute! Curling his body forward, he buries his face into his knees and weeps bitterly. He wants so badly to just go home! Everything about this situation is completely unjustified! He clenches his hands into fists and pounds them into the mattress as he screams.

"Why?!" he wails as he sits up, scrubbing at his eyes as tears cascade down his cheeks. The anger, the sadness, the hurt, the fear…it's all just so overwhelming. "I want to go home! I want my friends!"

Edd sobs for a few minutes, clearly distraught as he curls into himself on the bed. He'd been through so much these past few days. He's hungry, aching all over, and his dearest friend's brother had done the most awful, degrading things to him in the span of a few hours. Bringing his hand up to his neck, he winces; his fingers grazing the mark the man had left there. He whimpers, his sobs dying down to sputtering whimpers.

After a while, he resorts to just lying on the bed in exhaustion. Shivers wrack his body as he resorts to shallow breathing. He grasps at his arms in a desperate attempt to comfort himself. The muffled sound of a door opening and then shutting jolts him from his sorrows. He looks to the door, afraid. Terry had either just walked into the trailer or he was leaving. Judging by the fact that the man hadn't come to silence him when he was screaming to himself, Edd assumes it to be the former.

He does his best to ignore it. After everything that had happened today, he's through dealing with that man. For a moment longer, he keeps listening. He wonders what Terry is up to. The man seems more interested in the kitchen. Edd assumes he must be drinking again. He catches vague sounds. The refrigerator door opening, the clinking of a bottle, the door closing again. Yes, Terry's definitely drinking again. With a sigh, Edd relaxes against the bed.

In his state of meditation, he becomes slowly aware of himself and his surroundings. The room he's in is cold — not so much that he would get sick if not covered properly, but there's a distinct chill in the air that unsettles him some. Despite the emptiness of the room, it's rather filthy. Dust clings to the walls and the floor. The sheets of the bed are musty and could probably do with a wash.

A harsh gasp rips itself from Edd's chest as he looks down at himself. It suddenly occurs to him that he hasn't bathed for a whole day. The night before, he'd been drenched in sweat and muck from a swamp and since then he'd slept in his clothes on more than one occasion. He's absolutely _filthy!_ Anxiety grips him. He feels his body itching terribly. His clothing is contaminated with millions of dead skin cells. _He has to wash!_

He bites his lip, his gaze is pulled to the door. If he wants a bath, he'll have to deal with Terry. He worries about the implications of such an encounter. Previous encounters had proven that the man is not above hitting him or fondling him. Edd questions whether he can handle more of that. Ultimately, he decides it will be worth it if it means a bath. Just imagining the water washing over him is enough to ebb away at some of his anxiety.

Taking a deep breath, he pulls himself up to stand on weary legs. He wobbles some and falls back onto the mattress at first. He's still pretty dazed. After a moment, he tries again. He stumbles to his feet, but he holds himself up this time. He takes struggling steps to the door and slumps against it. His vision is blurring and he whines in pain. Reaching a hand up to the back of his neck, his fingers brush against the large swollen knot there. Sharp pain shoots down his spine, making him cringe and whimper.

Of course he would forget the head injury he received…

He tries the knob first to open the door. Locked. He whimpers a bit. As he'd suspected, the man had locked him in.

Looking up at the door, he forces himself to speak; "Terry?"

His voice sounds pained, even to his own ears. For a moment, there's no response. The sound of something heavy scraping against the linoleum floor in the kitchen startles him some. Footsteps soon echo down the hallway, approaching the door. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he tries again to speak.

"He-hello…?" he calls out fearfully.

He rests his hand against the door, leaning his head against it. The footsteps stop far from the door. Edd almost feels hopeful. His eyes are focused higher on the door, looking where he imagines the man would stand.

"Please…" he begs, "Please, help me…I…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Terry…"

No answer.

He begins to grow desperate; "Please! I've learned my lesson, Terry, I swear!" Tears are stinging his eyes. "I beg of you! Please let me out!"

Silence.

The panic seeps into his veins and his breathing becomes erratic as the need to be clean slowly overwhelms him.

"Terry, _please!_" he cries louder, rapping his knuckles on the door, "Let me out! I desperately need to wash! Please!"

Again, he receives no response, but there's no silence. The footsteps pick up again, but this time they're walking away. He begins to pound on the door with his weak fists.

"No! _No please!_" he sobs, dragging his nails over the wood, "Please, come back! Let me out of here! _Terry!_"

The footsteps disappear into the kitchen and the scraping happens again. Edd assumes it's a chair moving over the floor. The man has taken a seat again. Edd screams and starts hitting the door harder, making the wood shudder with each strike of his fists as his desperation turns to full panic.

"_Please! PLEASE!_" he screams in an almost delirious state as he slams his hands into the door, "I'm sorry! Please! I beg of you! I'll do anything you ask! Just let me wash! Please! Anything you want, I'll do it! Just come back! Please!"

Edd's hands are a bright red and bruising with each strike against the door. Redder and redder they become. It's not much longer before the swollen skin near his palm splits. He yelps, yanking his hand to his chest. His bruised and battered hand has split open from the brutal pounding and is bleeding profusely. Edd screams and sobs for Terry to let him out.

"_Please!_" he bawls, "My hand! I-I need medical attention! Let me out, please! I beg you! Let me shower! Let me treat my hand!"

He shakes there on the floor as the blood from his hand drips down onto his exposed knees making him cringe. There's no answer from the man. No movement to be heard. Hopelessness takes him. The man is actively ignoring him.

"Terry _please!_" he begs pathetically, "Please help me! I _need_ you! Please!"

With every statement, Edd loses more of his crumbling grip on sanity. He's willing to say anything to make the man help him. To prostrate himself before his tormentor and offer him anything he desired. Anything to end his agony and grant him relief. He tries to stabilize himself; to piece his fragile thoughts back together. The itch is getting worse. A bath. He _needs_ to wash!

Reluctantly, Edd resigns himself to the fact that the man isn't going to come, at least not any time soon. That being the case, he realizes that he'll have to deal with his injured hand himself. Turning his head to the bed and then to his hand, he works out a solution in his mind. Stumbling, he approaches the sheets and wraps his bleeding hand up in them. His shirt and pants are stained with blood and there are several drops on the floor. Cradling his aching hand to his chest, Edd lays himself down upon the bed again, sobbing.

He loses himself again to his own whimpering sobs. Several minutes pass by. Edd's crying dwindles away some. He's just lying on the bed, trying not to move to avoid the pain in his head and his hand. In his anguish, he doesn't hear the footsteps return. He doesn't hear the door unlock and open. Doesn't notice Terry entering the room.

The man pushes his way through the door and looks down at the preteen on the bed. The kid's a complete mess. Edd is lying on his side, his hand wrapped heavily in the bed sheet. There's blood on the boy's shirt and shorts, a few flecks of blood on his knees. He frowns slightly before approaching the bed. He takes a seat beside him, gently touching Edd's shoulder to let the teen know of his presence.

Edd flinches, obviously startled and his head snaps to look up at Terry. A mixture of fear, hurt, and hope crosses his face as Terry reaches slowly towards Edd's injured hand. He makes a motion for Edd to give him his hand. The boy hesitates, but after a few seconds lifts his hand and allows Terry to take it.

Carefully, the man unwraps the sheets from the wounded appendage. Terry looks over the cut, gently taking Edd's small, trembling hand into his own once it's free of the bindings so he can get a good look at it.

"Please…" he glances up when he hears the soft, tearful whimper, "Please let me wash…"

He looks at the boy; noting the obvious in how severely distressed Edd is by his injury and state of cleanliness. He lets a small smile slip and reaches out to cup Edd's chin with his free hand.

"Shhh…It'll be alright, Princess," Terry's voice is soft, so caring and gentle. It shocks Edd. The boy stares at him with wide eyes as the man stands from the bed. "Why don't we get you cleaned up and get this cut taken care of?"

Edd's heart leaps for joy when he hears that. He gives a small sob of relief as he allows the man to help him up and walk. Soon, he'll be clean!

He clings to the man's arm as they walk. His vision is less blurry, but it feels as though the ground is rocking beneath him. Terry is stable, however, drawing Edd to realize that it's all him. He's still a bit dizzy from the blow to his head. To avoid looking at the ground, he glances up at the man leading him along.

Everything about this situation seems…wrong. Is this the same person who had threatened him? The same person who had handled him so roughly? Who had hit him and mocked him? Now, those hands which had struck him are holding him up gently, ushering him carefully along. Edd wants so badly to question it, but his mind is clouded by pain and his desperate compulsion.

He's led down the hallway to a bathroom. It's small, but there's enough room for two adults to move around without tripping over themselves. After Edd has walked in, the man closes and locks the door behind them. He has Edd sit on the closed lid of the toilet seat before turning and walking a few steps to the faucet of the bathtub. Carefully, Edd removes his shoes and sets them and his socks aside neatly out of the way. The floor is cold, but soothing to the boy's aching feet and he sighs softly in relief at that.

The water begins running. Edd cranes his neck to see into the tub. He rises to his feet, brow furrowed. He imagines the water against his skin, washing away the grime and the pain. It makes him anxious to start his bath. Standing at the edge of the tub, he watches the water rise slowly.

He doesn't notice Terry behind him, knife in hand. Doesn't notice the man's hand grabbing his shirt and using the blade to cut the orange material off of him. It's only when he feels Terry's hand caress his shoulder as the remnants of his shirt are removed that he notices that his chest is bare. The man had even cut the tie off of his neck as well. He squeaks in shock and whips around to him.

"Wh-What do you think you're doing?!" he cries, covering his chest.

He gasps when he catches sight of the knife that's still in the man's hand.

"Easy, Princess," Terry chuckles, folding the switchblade closed. He sets it behind him on the counter the sink is set into. "That bump on your head would make it hard to take your shirt off, don'tcha think?"

This startles Edd some. He hadn't considered that, but the man has a point. The back of his head is still terribly sore. Pulling the shirt off normally may have been painful. He looks to the ground where the torn shirt and cut tie lay, mourning the loss silently before returning his gaze to the man before him. Terry's watching him carefully. Edd hunches his shoulders a bit, trying to cover himself more than he's able.

"Eh…Th-Thank you," he mumbles, "I-I think I can handle things from…from here…"

Terry's grin spreads some; "I don't think so, sweetheart."

Edd's eyes widen a bit; "What?!"

"You _really_ expect me to leave you alone with that head wound?" the man asks in an innocent tone, "Of course you don't. You may hurt yourself more." He grabs Edd's chin, urging the boy to look at him. "And we can't have that, now can we?"

Edd shivers and tries to back up a little. His legs hit the edge of the bathtub and he starts to fall. He cries out, his eyes shutting tight. Terry is quicker, though, and his arm is around Edd's back, pulling the boy to his chest. Shaking some, Edd clings to the man's shirt, feeling only a sense of gratitude to have been saved from the fall. Terry smirks in triumph as Edd's pleas run through his head.

_I'll do anything you ask!…Anything you want, I'll do it!…I need you!_

He wonders vaguely if he can cash in on that now. Edd is clinging desperately to him. He may very well be able to get the boy to do whatever he asks. After a moment, however, he dismisses it. Not now.

Not just yet…

Pushing Edd away, he forces an irate tone; "You can open your eyes, Princess. You're fine."

Edd looks up at him, blushing shyly, and steps away, careful of the edge of the tub. Terry leans past him and turns off the water, which has reached an appropriate level. The boy looks around for a towel to cover himself with — anything so he doesn't expose himself entirely to the man before stepping into the water. Terry rolls his eyes.

"The hell are you waiting for?" he snaps.

Edd sighs and turns reluctantly towards the tub. He returns his eyes to Terry.

"Please, may I have even the slightest bit of privacy?" he begs, "Can you at least turn away until I'm in the water?"

"I'm sure it's nothing I haven't seen before, sweetheart," Terry grumbles.

Feeling himself starting to panic, Edd glances at the tub again. The water looks so inviting. So warm. His hesitation draws a groan from the man.

"Would you just strip and get in already?" he growls impatiently, "Fuck. Here I am being all generous and shit; letting you take the bath you keep bitching and moaning about and you're not even gonna get in the damn water?!"

He takes a few calming breaths as the boy cowers from him. He grabs Edd's scrawny arm and yanks him close.

"Well, maybe you want to go back to the room instead?" he threatens, "Maybe you need a little more time in solitary to teach you real _fucking_ obedience?"

"No!" Edd whimpers, grabbing at his wrist, "Not there! Not again, please! Don't put me back in that _filthy_ room! I'll do anything! Just don't take me back there!"

Terry fights against the smirk that wants to break out on his face as he lets go of the boy; "Then hurry it up. The water ain't gonna stay warm for long, ya know."

The boy is still hesitant, but finally gives in. Keeping his eyes trained on the water to avoid looking anywhere near the man behind him, Edd quickly, but carefully pulls down his shorts and underwear.

Terry watches him in sadistic pleasure. There are several bruises over the boy's body. Most are over his arms. He can make out the vague shapes of his fingers where he'd grabbed the kid, the rings of bruises around his wrists from the handcuffs, the hickey he'd left on the boy's neck. He strokes his goatee in a vain attempt to stifle his arousal as the boy folds his clothing as neatly as he can before slipping into the water. The sight of the boy's soft skin now slippery with the water doesn't help. He feels himself growing hard in his pants.

As Edd takes a seat, Terry removes his ring and flannel over shirt. The boy pulls his legs up to his chest in an attempt to cover himself before looking around shyly for some soap and shampoo. To distract himself some, Terry reaches into the sink behind him and retrieves an ice pack. Edd's startled to see it and chastises himself for not noticing it before. Terry hands him the pack.

"Hold this against your head," he instructs as the boy takes it, "It should help with the swelling."

Edd nods shyly and holds the pack against the back of his head. He cringes a bit at the pain and the cold, but soon relaxes against the sensation. For a moment, he just sits in the warm water, letting the ice do its work. He's startled from the calm as his other arm is grasped. His injured hand is taken into the man's larger one and he whips his attention to him.

"Wh-What are you doing now?!" he stutters.

"You wanna get clean, don't ya?" Terry asks cocking his brow, a bar of soap in his hand, "If you wait too long for that swelling to go down, the water will get cold. Now hold still."

Grudgingly, Edd allows the man to continue washing him. This feels so degrading. He's not some invalid or insipid child who cannot bathe himself! He turns his head a bit to avoid looking at the man in his shame. Closing his eyes, he rests his forehead on his knees, trying to focus on enjoying his bath. He winces when the man starts cleaning the cut. The soap stings, but he bears with it. Best to get it cleaned out before infection set in, he supposes. The warm water feels good against his skin, as does the soap when it's moved from his cut. He feels the filth from the past couple of days washing away. The pain in the back of his head is even hurting less than before. He can feel the swelling start to go down as well. It feels nice…

At least until the man's hand moves from his arm to his chest. Edd glances at him, shivering some. Terry uses his other hand to support Edd's upper back and to keep him still. Edd pulls his arm back and tries to cover himself even below the water. Terry rolls his eyes.

"Easy, Princess," he coos mockingly.

He leans over Edd some as he washes the boy's torso. His fingers graze the Edd's soft skin as he does so. He bites back a moan, glancing at the boy's blushing face. A grin creeps onto his lips. The temptation is too much…Bringing his hand up Edd's back a bit, he begins rubbing at the base of the boy's neck. The back of his hand brushes against Edd's as he urges the boy closer. Edd's free hand is slapped down onto the edge of the tub, to support himself as he glances at the man.

"T-Terry?" he whimpers questioningly, "P-Please, you're invading my personal spa—"

He's silenced by the man pressing his lips roughly against his own. He's pushed back against the wall behind the bathtub, his hand holding the ice pack trapped behind him. His other hand comes up to grasp helplessly at the man's sleeve. Terry abandons his hold on the soap, letting it drop between the boy's legs as he brings his hand up to cup Edd's cheek. With a moan, his tongue darts out, pushing its way past Edd's lips. The boy cries out in shock, pushing desperately against Terry's shoulder. The man sneaks a glance at him before pulling back again. He watches in twisted pleasure as Edd curls in on himself, trying to back away into a corner.

"Wh-What on earth are you doing?!" he demands. Terry chuckles, drawing the boy to bristle in anger. "Th-This is highly inappropriate! I'm twelve years old!"

He holds his arms over his chest, ignoring the cold of the ice pack as it's pressed against his arm. Retrieving the soap that had fallen into his lap, he holds it against his chest.

"I can finish bathing myself, thank you!" he snaps, "I _insist_ you give me my privacy!"

The boy recoils some as a frightening look flashes in the man's eyes. He watches Terry stand, hands reaching for the hem of his jersey.

"I ain't leaving you alone in here," he informs the boy, removing his shirt, "And if you're going to be this stubborn, maybe I should just join you?"

Cold dread runs down Edd's spine as the man reaches for his pants. With a yelp, Edd shuts his eyes tight, holding the ice pack over his face.

"N-No!" he cries, "Not that! Please!"

Terry grins triumphantly and sits down on the edge of the tub, leaving his shirt off.

"Good," he purrs, "Well, if you wanna finish washing by yourself, go ahead."

Edd whimpers, lowering the ice pack. There's still a bit of swelling in the back of his head, but it had gone down significantly. He feels safe in the belief that he would be able to wash his hair without much pain. Terry holds his hand towards him and the boy shakily hands the ice pack to him. As the man places the pack back into the sink, Edd looks around the edges of the bathtub, finding the shampoo behind him. Trying to avoid the man's eyes on him, he sets the soap back into his lap and grabs the bottle.

Where Terry is sitting beside him, he can feel the man moving some. Turning uneasily, Edd finds that he has grabbed a bowl. He assumes it was sitting in the sink as well. Edd watches him carefully as Terry leans over and scoops up some of the water.

"Tilt your head back, sweetheart," the man instructs.

Closing his eyes, Edd follows the direction before laying his head back. A moment later, he feels the water washing over his head, wetting his hair. Afterwards, the boy brings his head back up and opens his eyes, doing what he can to keep Terry in his sights. He opens the bottle of shampoo and pours a fair amount into his hand. After recapping the bottle and setting it back where he'd found it, he lathers the shampoo in his hands before rubbing it into his hair. He's unsettled by the silence. A question weighs heavily on his mind. Now seems to be a good a time as any to ask…

"Why are you doing this?" he asks, hoping he sounds more confident in his question than he thinks.

Terry eyes him carefully; "You'll have to be more specific, Princess."

Edd feels a hopeless desperation; "_This!_ Kidnapping me, teasing me and Eddy, bathing me…your…your…'lustful'…actions towards me…" He raises his eyes to Terry again. "Why are you doing this to me?"

The man looks away with a grimace. Edd's unsure if that means the man has no answer, or if the answer isn't one he wants to share. Instead of giving him a reply, the man leans over Edd again to scoop up another bowl-full of water.

"Tilt your head back again…" he directs with something of a sigh.

Edd's shoulders slump, but he follows the direction again to allow the man to wash away the suds in his hair. Picking up the soap, he tries to finish cleaning his body. Terry leans against the wall, watching him. He's silent for some time, watching as the boy cleans himself. His eyes drift to the boy's clothes. His lips curl into a grin; he'll have to take care of those…

He glances back to Edd. The boy should be finished soon. The kid's question is still on his mind. Edd had been quiet this whole time. He may as well give him a response.

"To answer…at least some of your question," Terry speaks carefully, "It's because I want to." When Edd gives him a confused glance, he elaborates. "I took you from Pipsqueak because I wanted to. I'm bathing you because I _want_ to." He reaches lazily towards the boy, brushing his fingers over Edd's cheek. "I touch you because I _want_ to." The boy recoils some, whimpering a bit. With a grimace, he grabs a small chunk of Edd's hair, pulling his head back a bit so the boy is looking at him. "I _kissed_ you…" He traces Edd's jaw with his other hand. "_Because I want you._"

Edd raises his hands to push him away, removing his little covering. Terry grins a bit, his eyes drifting over the boy's body for a moment. With a squeak, Edd drops his hands back down over his crotch, looking up at the man with weary eyes. The man chuckles, leaning close to him.

"And I 'tease' you," he purrs, "because it's so damn fun to watch you squirm."

Tears burn at the corners of Edd's eyes as the man lets him go. This is all so…_wrong_. He wants to cry, but, after that statement, he knows doing so will only make things worse. Terry laughs under his breath.

"You 'bout done, sweetheart?" he asks in a mockingly sweet tone.

Holding his arms, Edd nods. He wants out of this bath. In his desperation, he had refused to acknowledge the awful things the man could do to him in this vulnerable position. He had forgotten how the man had touched him before and his words to his friends should they fail the man's cruel test.

_He'll be my girlfriend then._

Edd swallows the lump in his throat. In an effort to distract his frightened thoughts, he glances at the small window in the bathroom. He sees no light coming through; it's dark out. He wonders vaguely how long he had been unconscious.

Terry wraps his arm lazily around the boy's shoulders as he leans over him and pulls the plug, allowing the water to drain. Edd shivers as the man leans back again and grins down at him.

"Time to get out, Princess," he purrs, tilting his chin up and placing a kiss on the boy's cheek.

Edd grimaces and pushes against him. The man gives another sharp laugh as he stands, releasing the boy before moving towards a closet in the room where he keeps the sparse towels. After retrieving one of them, he turns back to Edd. The boy is still sitting in the receding water. Terry rolls his eyes, but forces a grin.

"C'mere, Princess," he demands in a gentle voice, "You'll catch a cold if we don't get you dried off quick."

A pained look passes over Edd's face. As much as he hates it, he knows the man is right. He has to get out of the bathtub and dry off. Terry approaches him with the towel. With a shuddering sigh, Edd forces himself to stand. Using one hand to cover himself, he reaches for the towel, snatching it from the man's hands. He tries his best to ignore the man's gaze as he wraps the towel around his middle. He steps out onto the cold tiles and sits on the edge of the tub to avoid slipping.

Keeping his eyes on the ground, he holds his arms to cover his chest, unsure of what to do next. Obviously, the next logical step would be to dry himself off. However…He glances at Terry as the man stands beside him. As much as he wants to dry off, he doesn't want to expose himself to him again.

"S'matter, sweetheart?" the man chuckles, "Don't you wanna dry off?"

"Please," Edd begs softly, "Can I please have some privacy so I can change?"

Terry smirks; "And what do you think you're going to change into? You don't have any other clothes. And you seem like the type who wouldn't wanna wear dirty clothes, now aren't you?"

Edd grimaces. He's right. He can't wear his own clothes until they're washed. Biting his lip, he shifts a bit.

"Do you…Do you have anything I can wear?" he asks shyly, trying to dry himself some by starting with his arms.

A look of pure delight passes over Terry's eyes as he chuckles. Leaning down, he picks up the discarded flannel shirt. Edd glances up at him as the shirt is held towards him.

"How about this?" he purrs.

The boy feels his cheeks burning. Wearing the man's shirt? He furrows his brow.

"Um…Wh-What else?" he mumbles, "A-Along with that…?"

"What more d'ya need, baby?" the man chuckles back, leaning against the wall and shaking the shirt at the boy.

Edd blanches and turns away. The man wants him in that shirt and _nothing else._ He looks around the bathroom desperately for any clean coverings. Of course, he finds nothing. Shyly, he peeks at the shirt Terry is still wagging at him. The man has a smug look on his face. With a sigh, Edd relents to him.

"Very well…" he mumbles wearily as he rises to his feet.

With a grin, Terry sits down on the lid of the toilet, beckoning the boy closer with his finger. Edd makes a whining noise in the back of his throat before approaching him. He reaches for the shirt, but the man holds it away.

"Hold on a sec, sweetheart," he chuckles, "Sit in my lap for a bit."

A deep, red blush flares up on the boy's cheeks. He shakes his head.

"A-Absolutely not!" he cries, holding the towel tightly over him.

"Aw, c'mon baby," the man purrs, wrapping the shirt around Edd's waist and tugging the boy towards him.

The boy's hands are on his shoulders instantly, trying to push himself away.

"Unhand me!" he cries.

"Alright, alright," Terry chuckles, "You don't have to sit in my lap."

Edd sighs in relief, but catches a look in the man's eye. He's not out of the woods with this just yet…

"How 'bout you kiss me instead?" he breathes in a seductive tone.

Covering his mouth, Edd gasps; "I will do no such thing!"

"Suit yourself," Terry shrugs, leaning back some and letting the boy go, "You can walk around naked for all I care. But if you want the shirt, you've gotta pay for it."

The boy's eyes drift to the article of clothing. He considers reaching for it; just taking it from the man. However, the repercussions of such an act would most likely involve a rather painful and far more humiliating punishment. He weighs his options. Even the _idea_ of kissing this man makes him retch, however, Terry has made him do _far_ worse. In retrospect, a kiss would not be nearly as bad as…other things the man could have him do. And Edd couldn't deny, the shirt would be better than nothing at all. He returns his gaze to Terry.

"Just…_one_ kiss?" he asks hesitantly.

He cringes a bit at the smug grin on the man's face as he sits up again.

"It'll be a start," Terry replies suggestively, "But yeah, for now, just one."

Taking a deep breath, Edd nods and takes a step closer to the man. The boy's eyes dart around, avoiding Terry's eyes at all costs. He's not entirely sure what to do. His little experience with this comes from the Kanker sisters, Eddy, and the man seated before him. None of those instances were ever pleasant; they were forced and without a shred of true affection that he could find.

Edd leans in to the man's face. One hand rests on Terry's shoulder while the other keeps a firm hold on the towel. Closing his eyes and bracing himself, the boy clumsily presses his lips against Terry's. A soft moan escapes the man. His hands come up and grip Edd's hips, holding the boy in place. Edd's eyes shoot open as the man's tongue prods at his lips. The boy jerks away, the hand that had been on the man's shoulder coming up to cover his mouth. Terry grimaces a bit, tugging him back.

"Get back here," he grumbles, "I wasn't done."

The boy wriggles out of his grip.

"Y-You said just one!" he whines.

With a groan, Terry stands and holds the shirt towards the boy.

"Alright, fine," he sighs, "A deal's a deal. Put this on."

Gratefully, Edd takes the shirt from the man and pulls it on over his shoulders. He's _swimming_ in it, but he's glad for the covering. Though the sleeves hang low off of his arms, with Terry's assistance, he's able to roll them up so that he has use of his hands. When he does, he buttons down the shirt and lets the towel fall to pool around his ankles. Retrieving the towel, he dries his hair as thoroughly possible.

As he does this, he sees Terry reaching into the medicine cabinet above the sink. When his hair is damp, but no longer dripping, he folds the towel and glances at Terry. The man is holding a first aid kit. Edd glances at his hand. It's no longer bleeding, but he _should_ dress it to be safe. He remains silent as the man carefully cleans and dresses the cut. There's not much to say, he supposes. When Terry's through with the task, Edd opens his mouth to speak — to thank him for bandaging the cut — but is interrupted by his growling stomach. He blushes and holds his middle. The man chuckles.

"That's right," he notes, "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

Edd grimaces at that. Of course he hadn't. The man had knocked him out before he could. All because of his alcoholism. Terry walks to the door leading to the hallway.

"Well then…" he purrs, "Let's see if we can do something about that." He unlocks the door and opens it, looking to Edd expectantly. "After you, Princess."

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><p>Rate and Review, please! Flames will be used to roast marshmallows!<p> 


	6. Let Not The Sun Go Down On Your Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**Summary:**

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Author's Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: This chapter has taken forever to write. I have been working alot and Battygirl is back in school. We also had Matsuricon recently and I have been fretting because of Jury Duty next week! Hopefully, the next chapter will be out soon. I am also in the process of updating my other story, Saving Hope (Rise of The Guardians) and re-writing Bring The Capricorn Home (Homestuck). So, we hope you enjoy Chapter 6!_

_Battygirl: __Wow, how long has it been since our last update?! Guys, I'm so sorry. Thing have just PILED up for us on both ends…I know DuoXKouga has been having a REALLY rough go of it and I'm now back in school. Shit's just been crazy. XP So I'm done making promises about possibly getting chapters out faster. We'll still do what we can, but we've raised the bar for ourselves with the quality of these chapters and we want to meet our own standards before we put these chapters up. We both really appreciate you all sticking by us and your patient waiting. We also really love reading what you guys think! So please, don't hesitate to leave a review. _

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><p>Chapter 6: Let Not The Sun Go Down On Your Edd<p>

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><p>Darkness surrounds the group as they walk, their only light coming from the torch in Rolf's hand and the little moonlight shining down on them. Eddy's body is begging him to rest. The others share the complaint. Everyone is exhausted. However, they keep walking. Wilfred seems hot on the trail. The shortest of the group can't help but want to go on. He can only imagine what horrors Terry is putting Edd through…He's jarred from his thoughts before they can form, however, as Ed collapses to the ground.<p>

"Ed!" he cries, at his side within moments.

"I can't go on, Eddy…" the taller boy whines, "I'm so sleepy…"

As if to punctuate the point, Ed releases a wide yawn. It spreads like wildfire throughout the group. Eddy heaves a sigh and looks around. They're still traveling along the side of the road. They can't rest here. He spots a clustering of trees in the distance. It's not too far — less than a mile, he imagines. They can set up camp there. Turning back to his near-unconscious friend, he tries to help him up.

"Ya think you can walk just a little more, monobrow?" he asks, "We can't sleep here, bud. You gotta keep going just a little more so we can make camp, okay?"

Ed whines, but lets Eddy help him back to his feet. They take an immediate right off towards the trees. Wilfred squeals in complaint, wanting to continue along the path he was following. Rolf tugs him along.

"Wilfred!" he cries, "Cease your thrashings! We are resting for the night!"

It doesn't take long for them to reach their destination. They find a big enough clearing among the trees so the fire they start won't set the whole place ablaze. When Rolf gives the okay, Eddy lays Ed down. The moment the boy hits the ground, he's out; grateful to rest. Eddy glances at Rolf, who is shouting orders.

"Kevin-boy; collect the firewood!" he demands before pointing to the Kankers, "No-Neck Ed-Boy; man the torch and Wilfred's leash! Sisters of Agony; distribute the provisions!"

"Not too much!" Eddy adds, approaching Rolf, "We don't know how long it'll be before we find food again, ya know?"

"The Short Ed-Boy speaks the truth," Rolf nods, handing him the torch and Wilfred's leash, "Ration it carefully!"

Eddy watches as Rolf begins building a fire pit. Kevin had walked away upon receiving his order. The Kankers sit together in a circle, rummaging through the provisions. For a moment, Eddy wonders why he was given no real orders to follow. He realizes, though, that it's probably for the best; he'd have complained about the work anyway…

He sits down next to the slumbering Ed, idly scratching at his friend's head. A small smile cracks the hard look on his face when Ed starts kicking his leg. It amuses him some how the guy will react like a dog. He sits for a short while, trying to will his body to power down. His fingers twitch in anticipation. He wants to keep moving.

Glancing back up, his eyes travel among the others to observe them. Rolf is quick with building the fire pit, working swiftly and efficiently. Eddy must admit; Rolf's time devoted to being an Urban Ranger has _not_ been wasted. The girls have retrieved a few bottles of water and snacks for the group to share. Eddy's surprised when he catches sight of a package of hotdogs. He chuckles a bit when he thinks about the amusement park employees finding the entire pack missing from their stores. Looking around, he notes that Kevin still hasn't returned. However, Eddy can hear him fumbling around; picking up sticks to put on the fire.

With a sigh, and knowing that Ed will be sleeping soundly for the night, he rises to his feet. Before walking away, he deftly ties Wilfred's leash to Ed's wrist with his free hand, to make sure the pig won't wander off. It's probably a waste of effort. Shortly after, Wilfred flops down beside Ed sleepily. Eddy imagines they won't be going anywhere for a bit.

"I'll be right back," he informs the others with an exasperated sigh, "I'm gonna go help ol' Shovel Chin find some firewood."

"Excellent!" Rolf cheers, "Your teamwork shall make the chore pass more quickly!"

Eddy rolls his eyes as his thoughts lapse into cynicism; _That asshole will take too damn long if he's stumbling around in the dark…_

Rolf rushes over to a tree and yanks down a branch closest to him before returning to Eddy. The shorter boy lights the end of the branch with the torch, providing the foreigner with light to work by before walking off in the direction he heard Kevin from. He vaguely wonders why Kevin didn't just do what Rolf had done, but realizes that they'll need more than the limited low-hanging branches in the clearing. Holding the torch up, it doesn't take him long to find the athlete, blindly searching. Upon noticing the light around him, the redhead turns, holding his hand over his face to shield his eyes from the sudden change in light.

"What's up, man?" he asks, brow furrowed.

Eddy shrugs, shoving his free hand into his pocket; "Figured you could use the light…You've been walking around like an idiot for a while and I'm sick of holding onto this thing." He shifts a bit on his feet. "How's it coming, anyway?"

He looks at the collection of branches in the boy's arms. Kevin's found several short, but thick pieces of wood. He sees one by the boy's feet. It's a larger branch and would last for some time. The dirt around it is disturbed, indicating that Kevin had been dragging it along behind him.

"Well enough…" the redhead shrugs back, choosing to ignore the crack about him walking around like an idiot, "Just a few more and we should be set. You wanna help?"

Eddy sighs a bit, but nods. He might as well. The boy is still feeling antsy. Doing nothing has proven to be too stressful. He wanders around with Kevin some, picking up wood as they go. Along with the thicker branches, Eddy grabs a few that are thin, but strong enough to roast the wieners with. They work silently. Neither have much of anything to say to each other. Within a few minutes, they have a proper collection of firewood, which they return to the campsite with.

They bring the wood over to Rolf, who trades them the firewood for his lit torch. Eddy watches, lazily, as the campfire is built in the pit circled by rocks. When done, Rolf reaches for the torch in Kevin's hand again and lights the wood in the pit. The torch in Eddy's hand joins it shortly. It takes several minutes, but the fire comes to life, illuminating their surroundings. May holds up the hotdogs.

"Who wants a wiener!" she giggle-snorts impishly as she and her sisters approach the fire.

"Right here, man," Kevin sighs gratefully as he takes a seat.

"Rolf will also partake of the meat trimmings cased in the flesh of the sheep," the foreigner agrees, taking a seat beside Kevin.

"Yeah, I could eat…" Eddy mumbles distractedly, handing out the roasting sticks to the others.

They roast the hotdogs in silence. Eddy takes a couple of the wieners to roast. When done, he holds one over Ed's face. It doesn't take long for the scent to draw Ed from his slumber just long enough to gobble up the hotdog. The sight makes the group laugh as Ed returns quickly to sleep. Eddy lets a small smile slip.

They try to entertain themselves some as they eat by telling scary stories. Rolf acts out the part of the monster in his tale, hoping to scare the group with his actions as well as his words. The girls laugh at him, but Kevin and Eddy decide to play along. They find it's more fun that way. The Kankers tell a typical campfire story of a murderer escaping some mental asylum. They provide their own sound effects and will sometimes act out the parts of the story. Theirs is fun to hear, but not as frightening as far as Eddy's concerned. When it comes time for Kevin to tell a story, he tries to make up his own. Something about a motorcycle maniac who kills people by strangling them with a chain. It's by sheer luck that he elicits a scream from the group as, with the end of his story, a car roars past quite loudly on the distant road. They howl with laughter at their own fear.

Finally, it's Eddy's turn.

"Alright, dude, you're up!" Kevin snickers, sitting back down next to Rolf.

"Who me?" Eddy grimaces.

"Yeah, Eddy!" Marie teases, "Give us your best shot!"

"Shove it, Marie!" Lee snaps before grinning sweetly at Eddy, "Give my man a chance. Go on Dream Boat. Tell us a story."

The all look to him expectantly. Eddy looks away, rubbing the back of his neck thoughtfully. He can tell they're expecting him to tell some cheesy story. For a moment, he thinks about it. He looks at Ed, wishing the guy would wake up and tell his own tale — he's sure whatever Ed came up with would give the others nightmares for weeks! If only he wasn't dead to the world…With a sigh, he returns his attention to the group. He starts to feel silly. They should be resting up so they can head out early tomorrow! He wonders if they'd ever find his brother this way…

Realization dawns on him and he grins grimly. Memories come flooding back of Edd's reaction to the way he'd 'trained' Jimmy. Maybe the others would have a similar reaction. He realizes then: he has a story…

"Alright," he cracks his knuckles, "Let's see…A long time ago, there was this little kid. Couldn't have been more than, like, two or three years old? And he had this br…" He pauses, thinking carefully. He thinks it's best not to tie this to himself. "…this babysitter. The kid _loved_ him. This guy was, like, the coolest, greatest person ever! A fuckin' _legend_." He licks his lips. "And the kid liked doing stuff with this guy. They played games a lot — they liked dodgeball — but…well, most of the time, they liked to scam…and all the scams worked."

The kids look between each other in confusion. Eddy's story isn't scary at all. They wonder where he's going with this.

"The babysitter filled the kid's head with stories and all kinds of ideas," he continues, "He made the kid work his ass off so they could hang out, though. Gettin' cash from their scams and all that. '_Remember,_' the guy would tell him, '_if you have a lot of cash, you can spend a lot of time with me!_' He was a little harsh. Whenever the kid did something wrong — made a mistake or…or hell, if he _said_ something the guy didn't like — the guy liked to smack him around. But it wasn't a big deal. The kid would just hide the bruises from mom and dad. I mean, what else could he do? If his folks saw them, they might not have let him hang out with his cool br—" He winces a little, correcting himself. "b-babysitter.

"Well, one day…I guess you could say that the guy went a little…too far? The little boy was trying to build this scam while his babysitter sat back and watched. And…and the babysitter didn't like how he was doing it. He yelled and screamed at him for being stupid. Hit him over and over…and over…and over…" Eddy shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "The kid had more bruises than before. He was even bleeding from some of it."

Eddy's eyes turn to the ground; "But the kid still…he still looked up to the guy. I mean…I mean, why wouldn't he? The guy's so cool. I mean, it wasn't like he'd tried to kill the kid or anything. The guy wasn't hurting him because he hated him. It was just his way of showing he cared. I mean, hell, the guy only hit the boy when he was bad, ya know? It was more like the guy was…I dunno…correcting him or something…"

He shrugs a bit, rubbing his neck; "Well…Either way, his parents found out, of course. I mean, the kid could only hide so many bruises. Black eyes and bloody noses aren't as easy to keep a secret. The babysitter was…eh…'fired' and got sent away. I guess it was so he couldn't hurt the kid anymore…I dunno…" He glances up, forcing a cheeky grin, "But he'd left his mark. The kid became just like him…" His face falls. "And everyone hated him. He didn't have many friends. And the ones he _did_ have…" He glances guiltily at Ed, "well I…I guess he ended up hurtin' them too…"

Sighing, he looks up at the group. The kids are looking at him with uncertainty. They're not sure how to respond to all that. Eddy has a feeling they're not scared. But, by the looks on their faces, they're a bit concerned. Kevin's the first to speak.

"Dude…What the heck was _that_ about?" he asked, voice shaky.

"What?" Eddy scrunches up his face in a grimace, "Not as scary as a motorcycle maniac?"

"Not by a long shot…" Marie scoffs, "Why would you make up a story like _that_? No killers or psychopaths…"

"I didn't make it up…" Eddy grumbles back, glancing away uneasily at his own admission.

Lee studies him carefully; "Is that what your brother did to you?"

The others are hit hard with realization as they focus on Eddy again. The short boy's cheeks flush a light pink as he bristles a bit. He bolts to his feet.

"You guys are the ones who wanted a story!" he cries accusingly, "That was the first thing I could think of! It freaked Ed and Double D out when they heard about that stuff…"

"Did your brother really do all that to you when you were a kid?" Kevin asks, brow furrowed.

"Yeah…" Eddy's hand is on the back of his neck again in an effort to distract himself from his own emotion, "So what?"

"What do ya mean 'so what'?!" Kevin stands, glaring at him, "That's fucked up, man!"

"What if he's doing awful things like that to Double D?!" Marie whines, panicking.

Eddy groans, hands coming up to rub at his tired eyes. This was a mistake. He shouldn't have told that story to them. Of course they'd react like that. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't wondered it himself. His brother had been really hard on him when he was little. It was so easy to anger the man. With Edd's smart mouth, he can only imagine what his brother was doing to 'correct' him.

The others argue amongst themselves. The Kankers want to forget camping and keep walking — damned be the consequences! They want to get back to the hunt! Kevin and Rolf argue that they need to rest or they'll pass out from exhaustion. Eddy's torn. He wants to keep going too. He doesn't like stopping here for the night. However, he knows if they don't rest, they really won't make it in time. Their fatigue will slow them down. Pulling at his hair, he tries to gather his thoughts. He feels something tugging at his pants leg. Startled, he looks down to find Ed, who's staring up at him with puppy eyes.

"Eddy?" he says with a pout, "What's going on? Why's everyone fighting?"

Eddy looks at him carefully. Ed had always been attune to the emotions around him. The fighting that's going on had even roused _Ed_ from his slumber. The group glances at him, startled by Ed's sudden attention. Sighing, Eddy pats the top of his friend's head.

"Everything's fine Ed…" he replies, looking up at the others, "We're all just really tired, right guys?"

He nods for them to respond positively. They return the gesture.

"It _is_ pretty late…" Kevin notes, stretching, "We should probably try to get some sleep…start fresh in the morning."

"But what if someone comes by?" May notes.

"We'll douse the fire," Lee answers, "As long as no one sees the light from the road, we should be fine…"

Eddy feels a chill run down his spine. Douse the fire? Sleep in the dark? He remains silent, though. Telling them he wants to keep the fire going while he sleeps would be too…_embarrassing._ He certainly doesn't need Kevin or Marie to hound him for being afraid of the dark. To his dismay, the others agree and Rolf and Kevin kick dirt onto the fire, smothering it. The shortest Ed drops to the ground next to his taller companion and edges as close as possible as darkness settles around them fully.

It feels suffocating as only small embers remain. Ed seems more than happy to have his 'cuddly' friend close and hugs him tight to comfort him. Eddy groans and carefully pushes him away. Ed's touchy-feely nonsense wore on him quickly. Now is no exception. Though he welcomes the comfort some, he's too irritated by his own thoughts to accept it. As his eyes slowly adjust, he can barely make out the groups. No one wants to sleep alone. Kevin and Rolf are close together, lying on their backs and murmuring between themselves. The Kankers edge closer to the Eds, but keep enough distance as they huddle together.

For a long time, Eddy can't sleep. He remains upright, staring into the dying embers of the fire. The others fade fast and it's not too terribly long before he hears their breathing soften. Ed and Rolf begin snoring. He hears a bit of snoring from the sisters, but can't be sure which one.

He's alone.

Standing, he silently makes his way over to the remnants of the fire, picking up one of the discarded roasting sticks. He absentmindedly pokes and prods at the charred pieces of wood, watching the embers flitter up into the night as he sits. His mind is still a jumble. Despite his efforts, he cannot relax. With nothing else to distract his mind, his thoughts drift to worry over Edd. He feels as though a piece of him has been stolen. A part of him wonders why that is. Sure, Edd is his best friend. Their trio dynamic is one that cannot and _should not_ be broken.

Yet it had been…

Although, Eddy's sure that's not what bothers him about it. Even though he'd lost his friend, it feels so much more painful than he imagines it would if it were Ed he had lost.

Of course…his relationship with his smarter friend had always been a little different than the one he had with the tallest boy. He can't quite place it. He feels more comfortable with them both than he ever had with anyone else, but with Edd, it felt even more…effortless. He groans a bit and holds his head. Even in his own mind, he can't pinpoint it. He lies back. He's far enough away from the fire pit that he can spread his legs out some. He stares up into the inky black sky, thinking.

Like many times before, Eddy wonders why Edd had followed him for so long. The smarter boy had proven on their journey to find his brother that he had a limit to how much he could take. The boy had been pushed to that breaking point and had not only threatened, but actively tried to walk away from him and Ed.  
>Eddy cringes at the thought. It's bad enough that Terry had taken Edd from him. There had been no choice then; no free will. But when Edd had tried to leave him and Ed behind, he had done so willingly. In that moment, his friend had given up on him.<p>

And it hurt.

The taller boys are all Eddy has had since Terry left home. For either of them to turn their backs on him is more painful than he could ever imagine. Again, he questions to himself why Edd had remained his friend for so long. The boy is so intelligent. Ed and Eddy had only ever held him back. After returning to school after their last summer break, Edd had been put in detention more times than he could count. Eddy had been used to it by then and had accepted the detentions almost like a badge of honor — he believed it'd make Terry proud of him — but he knows it killed his friend on the inside with every hour of punishment.

So why did Edd stay? Little to no social skills; Eddy had always assumed. While Edd could be incredibly confident when presenting himself, he didn't have much of a filter. He'd speak of things no one understood or even things that, while fascinating, could also be terribly unnerving. Of course, Edd had always been capable of entertaining himself as well, Eddy recalls. He built things for their scams, but always seemed to find time to create things on his own.

There's something else, though, that must've made the boy stay with the trouble-making duo. Besides the limited social skills, Eddy firmly believes Edd was always just lonely. As long as Eddy can remember, his friend's house had always been empty. He's certain he'd met Edd's parents at least once before, but he can't, for the life of him, remember. They were always gone. It lead him to the only logical conclusion Eddy could reach; the other Eds accepted him and Edd craved their companionship despite their many _many_ faults, which he had accepted as well. This realization only makes Edd's momentary rejection all the more painful.

He curls up on his side, desperately trying to comfort himself. If he doesn't stop his thoughts now, they'll only torture him. Then he'll never get any sleep…He closes his eyes, taking deep, calming breaths. Finally, he drifts to sleep, praying his friend is okay.

They're awoken by the sun glaring down upon them. The sky is fading from black to purple to a pretty baby blue. Rolf is the first to rise. He's used to waking up at the crack of dawn. He wastes no time in waking the others, well aware that Eddy will want to get a move on. The group is very unresponsive as they drag themselves up. Even Eddy, who is usually a bundle of energy and who has been so desperate to move on and find Edd, is sluggish and difficult to rouse.

They spend at least half an hour waking each other up. They eat a few snacks, rehydrate, and pack up before turning to Wilfred. They can do little until he finds the trail again. They're happy to find, though, that it doesn't take long. The moment the pig puts his snout to the ground, they're off again.

Aside from Ed, the group is still unsettled from the night before. Eddy feels guilt eat away at him. He hadn't intended to make them worry more. He lags behind them some, eyes drifting away. They stay close to the road, but far enough that they shouldn't be bothered by passerby. No one's talking.

It's not long before they come across the next clue. Wilfed's pace picks up some and so does their own. They're led from the road again and to a small clustering of bushes. Upon closer inspection, they discover most to be covered in thorns; a rose bush. There are little to no flowers growing on it, though. It looks to be dying. Their eyes scan for anything that doesn't belong. Rolf spots it first.

"Behold!" he cries, pointing to the middle of the thorn bush.

Amongst the little spines, they spot a small, laminated square. Without thinking, Eddy darts forward to grab it. One hand goes out to support himself. His fingers wrap around a clump of thorns and he jerks back with a yelp, holding his bleeding hand.

"Eddy!" Ed cries, his hands reaching for Eddy's shoulders, "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, Ed!" Eddy snaps back, "Get the damn picture!"

Ed is taken aback by the short-tempered reply, but nods and retrieves the Polaroid, as directed. He gasps loudly when he sees it.

"Eddy!" he whines, "Look what he's done to our Double D!"

Brow furrowed, Eddy grabs the photo from Ed with his uninjured hand and brings it close to his face. His eyes widen and he feels anger boil in him again. This time, his brother is in the photo as well. He has Edd in his lap, pulling the boy close to him. Edd's hands are bound by the handcuffs and are desperately trying to push the man away as Terry leans close to him. He's not looking at the camera, Eddy notices. The man's eyes are locked on Edd, while the boy's are shut tight. Edd seems less scared here, but much more uncomfortable. Eddy shares that discomfort, but it's anger that he's feeling most strongly.

He feels the others crowding around him, but pays them no mind. Marie gasps and reaches for the photo.

"What the hell?!" she shrieks, "That sick fuck!"

"Enough already!" Eddy snaps, "Are you gonna do that every damn time?!"

Marie rounds on him as the group disperses a bit.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she scoffs, "How stupid of me to be _worried_ about my boyfriend!"

"I'm gettin' _real_ sick of your attitude, bitch!" Eddy growls.

"The fuck did you call me?!" Marie gets up into his face.

"What are you, deaf _and_ stupid?!" Eddy shouts back.

"That _does_ it, shorty!" she screams, "Let's go! You and me!"

"Sounds good to me!" Eddy growls, dropping the photo and pushing his sleeve up his arm.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Rolf cries, stepping between them, "Your squabbling is wasting time!"

"Yeah, man!" Kevin groans, "We've been _over_ this! All this fighting is only holding us up! Can't you two calm down long enough for us to keep moving?!"

Lee grabs Marie and jerks her back; "Jock-boy's got a point, Marie. If you wanna find that boyfriend a yours, we can't stop to let you fight with mine!"

Marie yanks her arm away again; "Then tell _your_ boyfriend to stop being such a little bitch!"

Eddy steps toward her; "What'd you say?!"

Ed grabs Eddy around his middle and picks him up.

"Eddy, no!" he cries, "No more fighting! Think about Double D!"

Eddy deflates some at that. He looks at his hands, one still bleeding and sighs. As much as he hates to admit it, Ed's right. He can't be fighting with Marie like this. They need to move on. Glaring at Marie, he forces himself to calm.

"Alright, alright, Ed," he sighs, "put me down."

Ed does so, confident that his friend has calmed enough. Eddy takes a few deep breaths and turns away.

"C'mon," he mumbles in slight defeat.

As they continue on their journey, Eddy looks down at the picture in his hand and cautiously flips it over to read the message left behind by his brother. His eyes narrow as fury builds in his chest as he scans the crudely written words and he lets out a soft growl.

_Princess and I are having lots of fun, Pipsqueak. I think he's startin' to come around. Don't forget, if you don't hurry, he'll be all mine.  
>— Bro<em>

As he reflects on those words, he can only hope that his friend hasn't done anything to enrage his brother. The guilt that had been eating away at him comes back full force and he sighs softly, tucking the photo away with the others. He vaguely notices that his palm is no longer bleeding as he shoves his hands into his pockets as well. In an effort to calm himself, Eddy walks a little further ahead of the others. His mind is consumed by thoughts of his brother and his dear friend. He kept reminding himself that Terry had a short temper and Edd could only be pushed so far before he snapped. Given the first message the man had left him, Eddy wonders if that possibility had already occurred.

The group regards Eddy with silent concern. They're not used to seeing him like this. The silence is more unnerving than before. A few of them want to ask what the message says. The two previous photos they'd come across had bore handwritten messages from the man. Though he'd neither confirmed nor denied the presence of a message this time, they're positive they'd find writing on this new photo as well if they could get a better look at the Polaroid. The curiosity is almost too much.

But they hold their tongues. After that argument with Marie, they realize it would be unwise to test his temper any further. Eddy needed to cool down before they tried to ask him anything. So, they set their minds on walking. They wonder what time it is, how long they've been walking. The sun isn't terribly high in the sky, so they rule out any possibility that it's anywhere near noon. But for most of them, that's all they can discern.

They have decided to move away from the main road completely. A few miles of walking along that long stretch of highway, despite their fair distance from it, had had people giving them curious looks. To avoid the risk of anyone stopping them again, they had come to the conclusion that they could not follow the road any further. It's for the best, they find. Wilfred is able to follow the scent easier when he's not walking near the hot asphalt.

The sun rises higher and higher into the sky, the time passing quickly around them. Finally, after a couple more hours of walking, they come across the next breadcrumb. Eddy hasn't spoken a word since finding the last photo. Only Ed has broken the silence. He's tried keeping morale up his own way…

…by singing his own rendition of 100 bottles of beer on the wall…

"_Thirty-five bottles of root beer on the wall!_" he continues, "_Thirty-five bottles of root beer! Ya take one down and pass it around! _Um…"

"Thirty-four…" everyone else but Eddy moans, disinterested from having to help the boy with every other number.

"_Thirty-four bottles of root beer on the wall!_"

Eddy feels his eye twitching as Ed laughs before starting the next verse.

"_Thirty-four bottles of root beer on the wall!_" he continues, "_Thirty-four bottles of root beer! Ya take one down and pass it arou—_"

"ED!" Eddy screams finally, "Shut up!"

"Aww, Eddy!" Ed whines, "I lost count!" He perks up almost instantly, "Better start over!"

The group lets out a collective groan as Ed opens his mouth to sing again and Eddy grabs at his own hair, tugging it in frustration.

"Woah, dudes, look!" Kevin cries, his finger pointing them towards Wilfred.

They follow the direction the pig is taking and realize they've stumbled across a sort of fair ground. There are picnic tables scattered about a few miles apart. On one of them rests an abandoned basket. Wilfred is waddling his way quickly towards it. Curiously, they follow. There's little to no one around to see them. Off in the distance, they can hear some chatter and they can just barely spot the bright colors of tourists dressed garishly for their outing. Feeling safe in their solitude, the group surrounds the picnic table. The girls take a seat immediately, glad for the rest while the boys simply stand by and look around curiously.

"My feet are killin' me!" May whines, propping her feet up on the bench and leaning back against Marie.

"Get offa me!" the middle Kanker snaps, shoving her away and to the ground.

"Knock it off, you two!" Lee snaps, "Can't you even sit on a bench right?"

Eddy tunes out their squabbling as he looks over the basket. At first glance, there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. There's rotting food — whoever abandoned this basket must have done so ages ago — and several insects surrounding it. For a moment, Eddy's reminded of Ed's bedroom. He's hesitant to investigate any further upon spotting a few bees hovering over the basket as well.

Then he spots it.

Amongst the dingy mess within the basket is a small square of white. There's writing on it, he notices, and it looks a bit glossy as well. Eddy grimaces. Of course his brother would make this difficult…Taking a deep breath, and moving as carefully as possible to avoid angering the bees, he reaches into the basket. He shuts his eyes tight and flinches when he feels the insects grazing the flesh of his arm. He expects the sharp stings and braces himself, but doesn't stop in his efforts to retrieve the Polaroid.

Luck seemed to finally be on his side as he withdraws his hand. The bees had landed on him, but move away almost immediately after he'd retrieved the picture. They have no interest in him whatsoever. No nasty stings. Sighing in relief, Eddy steps away from the basket some to inspect the photo. He groans angrily, gritting his teeth in annoyance. His brother really _is_ a whiz at ticking him off.

The photo's back to featuring just Edd. The boy's being shoved roughly against a tree, and Terry's pulling the boy's collar down. Eddy averts his eyes to avoid looking at the boy's bare shoulder. There are more suggestive bruises there. Taking a deep breath, he turns the photo over to read the message his brother left him this time.

_Are you even trying, baby brother? Maybe you really don't care about what happens to your lil girlfriend, huh? Maybe you just want to give him to me. But hey, who am I to complain?  
>— Bro<em>

Unconsciously, Eddy begins to crumple the photo some, his fingers gripping it tightly. He shakes a bit as well. As angry as he feels, there's also a sense of helplessness. He glances weakly at Rolf.

"Hey…" he winces a bit at how hollow his own voice sounds to him, "Can you tell what time it is, Rolfy-boy?"

The foreigner looks toward the sky, squinting and raising his hand a bit to shield his eyes slightly from the sun. He's silent for a moment as he judges the angle of the sun.

"It is almost midday, Short-Tempered Ed-Boy," he answers finally.

Eddy feels his stomach drop. A day and a half. They've already wasted so much time. They only have a day and a half left to find them! He doesn't allow the others to see the image this time before he pockets it. He doesn't want to deal with their reactions.

"Then we gotta keep going!" he demands, yanking Wilfred's leash, "Let's go, you stupid pig!"

"Aw, c'mon, Eddy!" May whines, "Can't we take a break. It feels like we've been walking forever!"

"If you wanna sit back and lounge, be my guest," Eddy snaps back before barking to Ed, "C'mon, Lumpy. Let's go find Double D!"

Ed is at Eddy's side within seconds. He doesn't need telling twice. With a sigh, Lee rises to her feet.

"Alright, alright," she sighs, "We can't just let you go alone. C'mon girls."

The remaining Kankers groan, but follow their sister's lead. Kevin offers Rolf a half-hearted shrug and follow Eddy as Wilfred picks up the trail again.

Eddy's fingers have resumed their anxious twitching. It's been hours since that last clue. Wilfred has led them to a forest-type area now. Rolf has since regained control of his leash, urging the pig to move faster. Tall trees block the sunlight, offering them relief from the mighty heat. The shortest of the group is looking around desperately for something — anything! — that will give them a new heading. His mood had taken a nose dive after that last message. He begins to fear the worst and allows doubt to overcome him.

"Eddy…?"

He glances up at Ed, who's stopped walking. The boy's voice had been soft, scared. His face reflected his tone. Unlike the others, who all have their eyes cast low, Ed is staring up. His eyes are wide and he looks scared. Eddy turns to him fully.

"What is it, Ed?" he asks, keeping his voice low so as not to alert the others.

Ed raises his hand and points upward. Eddy follows the direction to a tree several yards ahead. High up in it's branches, he scours for what his friend is pointing to. His eyes grow wide when he sees it. A small mass of black. He grabs Ed's sleeve.

"Ed; _fetch,_" he commands in a shaky voice, his eyes never leaving the object.

As soon as Eddy lets him go, Ed's off. Eddy looks to the others sternly.

"Wait here," he dictates before running after his friend.

The others cast him confused looks, unsure of just what it is the Eds are up to now. However, they do as they're asked, grateful for the break. Eddy watches Ed from the base of the tree. The taller boy is completely focused, something Eddy had never believed he'd see. He's glad for it, though. Ed's focus is critical here. His breathing is ragged as he watches Ed reach for the object. Eddy would recognize it anywhere. He'd seen it everyday of his life since they'd met Edd. It had been a constant for him and for Ed. Seeing it without its owner is almost painful. With the object in hand, Ed carefully climbs back down to the ground. His hands are shaky as he returns to Eddy. He's cradling the soft item in his hands like a fragile infant.

"Eddy…?" he whimpers.

With tears burning the corners of his eyes, Eddy touches the black fabric of the hat. He feels a pang of guilt and hurt. This had always been the most important thing to Edd. To know it had been stolen from him so callously hurt him greatly. Sure, he and Ed had teased their friend for his attachment to the head-wear, but it had all been in good fun. They both respected Edd's compulsion for it. Eddy can only imagine what Edd must be going through without its comfort. Gently, Eddy takes the hat into his hands and something falls out and to the ground. Eddy's eyes are wide when he spots the Polaroid. He snatches it into his hands. He doesn't bother looking at the image yet. He needs to know what his brother's taunting message is. His eyes skim over the words.

His blood runs cold.

Eddy sinks to the ground, eyes locked on the writing. He shakes in despair, vaguely hearing the others approaching. He sneaks a glance at them. They've stopped a few yards away and are looking at him curiously. They don't know what he's read. Returning his gaze to the Polaroid, he turns the photo over. He winces, looking at Edd's sweet, unconscious face. Hat removed, scar visible, bruises on his neck and arms. He's not sure whether to cry or scream. He wants to do both.

"Eddy?" Kevin's voice is soft. Is he concerned? "What'd you find?"

"I-Is that Double D's hat?!" Marie gasps.

His eyes raise to the others again. They're approaching him carefully. Ed steps in front of him, to block him. Eddy touches his hand, lowering it for the taller Ed. His eyes are unfocused as he stares ahead of him. He shakily turns the photo over and back to the writing.

_Hope you enjoyed your lil detour, Pipsqueak. Good luck finding us now.  
>— Bro<em>

His eyes trail to the hat in his hands and then, finally, to the others once again. They look at him expectantly, hoping for answers. With tears in his eyes, he gives it to them.

"We've been going the wrong way."

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><p>DUN DUN DUNNNNN!<p>

DuoXKouga: Oh no! Rate and Review, please! Flames will be used to roast the animatronics from Five Nights at Freddy's cuz they keep killing me!

Battygirl: *groans and glares at DuoXKouga* Then stop playing the game! They can't kill you if you don't play it!


	7. Music Soothes The Troubled Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

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><p><strong>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<strong>

_DuoXKouga: It's been a while guys! Been way busy with stuff, but we finally updated! Just a little warning:_ _**This chapter contains triggers. Pedophilia being the major one. Please, if it makes you upset or uncomfortable, please skip this chapter and chapter 8. Thank you.**_

_Battygirl: Yeah, this is why I said I wouldn't make any promises about getting these chapters out faster. School has been kicking my ass. I've been so flippin' exhausted and I know DuoXKouga's been busy with everything she's dealing with. But we both hope this chapter makes up for it. A word of caution, though; this one gets…kinda naughty… _

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><p>Chapter 7: Music Soothes The Troubled Edd<p>

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><p>Edd follows Terry out into the sitting room. There's a small television set near the window facing a long couch. Sunlight is shining through the glass. The boy is naturally startled. In the bathroom, he hadn't seen any light coming through the small window, but now, mere moments later, he stands in a room that's bathed in sunlight. That window may have been boarded up somehow, but there's a much more serious issue he must consider. He begins to panic a bit as he wonders; how long <em>had<em> he been unconscious?! He wants to ask, but doubts the man to be in a very talkative mood. The boy also imagines that Terry wouldn't tell him willingly without getting something in return. It probably wouldn't be anything pleasant either. Best to hold his tongue.

For now.

Between the television and the couch sits a simple coffee table. There are a couple of smaller, flimsy-looking tables here and there. One rests beside the couch beneath a dusty lamp. Another stands against the wall, next to a bookcase that's nearly empty. At first glance, the room seems to be just as barren as the others. This leads Edd to the conclusion that the man doesn't visit this trailer often. Though, to be fair, he'd guessed as much with the overall state of cleanliness. Terry ushers the boy over to the couch and sits him down.

"Wait here, Princess," he speaks in a commanding, yet dismissive tone as he turns away again, "I'll get you somethin' to eat…"

Edd hunches his shoulders, watching him carefully as the man retreats to the kitchen. With a dejected sigh, he leans back against the couch. It's surprisingly more comfortable than the bed he'd woken up in, but only just. He hears the man working on something in the kitchen. The boy's stomach growls impatiently.

Biting his lip, he begins to feel uneasy. He wonders if he should even eat whatever Terry brings him? His parents had always warned him around Halloween — when he would join Ed and Eddy for trick-or-treating — not to eat any candy he'd collected until it had been checked thoroughly. It was a rule he had always adhered so strictly to, given all the warnings about children being poisoned or candy laced with blades or other sharp implements. Edd finds himself in a similar situation now. However, this time he doesn't have his mother and father here to be sure the food will be safe for consumption. He has no choice but to trust this man who had treated him so horribly. With that thought in mind, Edd worries what the man may have in store for him when he presents the boy with his meal.

In a desperate effort to calm his frazzled nerves, Edd stands from the couch. He's much more stable on his feet after that bath. He reaches up to feel at the bump at the back of his head. It's still tender, but the swelling has gone down significantly. A sigh of relief escapes the boy at that revelation and he feels a small bit of his anxiety ebb.

Curiously, Edd starts looking around the room. The only door in or out of this room is the one connected to the kitchen. The window is blocked by the television only slightly, but, upon closer inspection, he finds that there's no way to open it. Escape is definitely not an option at this time. However, the boy can distract himself by finding objects of interest in the room. One such item that he had overlooked upon arrival is a harp in the corner. At first, Edd is shocked to see it. Why on _earth_ would Eddy's brother — this wretched excuse for a human being — own such a delicate, beautiful instrument? It's a faded gold in color and there's a thick layer of dust along the top of the instrument. Curiously, he reaches out and plucks one of the strings. He frowns a bit at the off-key note; it needs to be tuned. As he looks at it, he's reminded of the man's old bedroom in Eddy's home. There had been a harp there as well. The boy is baffled. There's no way Terry can be physically capable of playing the harp, of all things!

So why have it?

He turns to the kitchen and takes a step. What better way to learn the truth than to ask? He stops. No. No, wait…If he asks something the man doesn't want to answer — something personal — it may anger him. Edd turns away from the door and the harp. He certainly doesn't want to risk angering the man. At least not until he's eaten something. As much as he hates constantly avoiding the gathering of new knowledge, he can't risk missing yet another chance at food.

Walking around the room a bit more, he comes to the bookcase. Upon one of it's empty shelves sits a framed photo. Brow furrowed, Edd reaches up and takes it down to get a better look. It's not too high for him to reach, but he has to stand on his tiptoes to do so. Upon retrieving the frame, he looks over the image. It's very old, he notes, and features Eddy and Terry together. His friend is very young here. Edd imagines this may have been taken shortly before he'd moved to Peach Creek Estates with his mother and father; before he'd met Ed and Eddy. Baby Eddy is smiling in pure joy as he sits in his brother's lap. Terry, conversely, looks disinterested overall, but lets his brother hug onto him. To an unknowing observer, it'd be a cute, heartwarming photo of budding sibling rivalry.

Edd knows better now.

At least…he thinks he does. Eddy had never told him a straight truth about his brother and his only current knowledge of the man is that he's cruel and brutal towards his sibling and anyone else around him. The boy wonders if there had ever been a genuinely nice time between the brothers.

He's startled from his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. Whipping his attention behind him, he nearly drops the photo. Terry grabs the frame before it can fall and pulls it away from Edd. He glances at it in mild interest before returning his gaze to Edd.

"Careful with that curiosity there, Princess," he grumbles, setting the photo onto a higher shelf and laying it face down, "You might not like what you find…"

Edd shivers fearfully as he's pulled away from the shelf again. He wants to ask about it. He curses the unfairness of his situation. All of these questions buzzing around in his head! His curiosity is thoroughly peaked and he can't ask a single one with the threat of violence from the man. He truly feels that if he can learn more about this man, he can figure out a way to escape him. A look of warning passes over the man's face, as though he knows what the boy is thinking. Edd keeps his silence in fear of further abuse.

He's led back over to the couch. On the coffee table is sitting a steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese. To say Edd's surprised would be an understatement. The man had put…_effort_ into this? As he takes his seat on the couch again, he looks to Terry uneasily. He notices now that the man had put his jersey back on, leading him to assume the man had gone to retrieve it while preparing the pasta. He tries to focus on his sating hunger instead.

"Th-Thank you…" he murmurs.

His stomach growls again as the man sits next to him. Edd blushes shyly, begging without speaking for his body to silence itself. Terry turns to him and pulls Edd's legs over his lap. The blush on Edd's cheeks spreads. He tries to pull himself away.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" he gasps as one of the man's large hands grabs his thigh, keeping him in place.

"Sit still, sweetheart," he purrs, easing his grip on the boy's leg.

He traces up Edd's thigh with a wicked grin. The boy squirms, hand coming up to grab at the man's shirt. He whimpers little pleas, begging the man to stop as he tries to push against Terry's hand.

"You wanna eat, don'tcha?" the man sneers.

Edd lets out a whimpering sob. He hasn't heard it much yet, but he's quickly growing sick and tired of hearing that phrase! These wretched little deals the man forces him into are going to be the end of him! Reluctantly, he allows the man to touch him. Terry's fingers push the flannel up Edd's leg, exposing more of the boy's soft, creamy flesh to him. Shutting his eyes tight, Edd tries to think of something, anything, to distract him from his current situation.

His thoughts shift immediately to his friends. Ed…Eddy…If only he were with them now. He tries to imagine it — to escape this violation. Ed is sitting on his left and Eddy, his right; in place of his brother. No…No, Ed's wandered off. It's just him and Eddy. He jolts a little when he feels the man's lips on his neck. In his mind, he still sees Eddy. He can feel his face burning as he pictures Eddy mimicking his brother's actions. Terry's tongue presses against his jugular. He imagines Eddy's mouth on him, wicked tongue doing the same. The hand on his thigh ventures further upward. His body reacts for him. His breath becomes uneven. He feels warm all over. His whimpering has ceased and has been replaced with little, wanton moans.

It feels…pleasurable.

The warmth upon his neck leaves and Edd blearily opens his eyes. Terry's grinning knowingly at him, causing Edd to shrink in on himself some as the man cups his chin.

"Looks like you enjoyed that an awful lot, huh, Princess?" he chuckles.

Shivering, Edd averts his eyes. He can't bring himself to look at the man.

"P-Please…" he whines in a desperate attempt to change the subject, "M-May I please eat now?"

The man merely laughs and retrieves the bowl of macaroni and cheese. It's no longer steaming, but is still very warm as he sits it in Edd's lap, allowing the boy to hold the dish for him. The boy's legs are protected by the fabric, so he can feel the heat of the bowl, but it's far less intense. Terry takes the fork before Edd has the chance and scoops up a bite of the food.

"Open wide, Girlfriend," he chortles.

Edd grimaces. How much more degrading could this become?! Why did Terry insist on treating him like a child one minute and then so amorously the next? His stomach growls sharply in protest, drawing the boy to sigh. As humiliating as this is, he has to play along if the reward is a full stomach. Opening his mouth, he waits for the man to feed him. The mocking grin on Terry's face reflects the man's approval as he feeds the boy. It's almost too easy, making Edd do what he wants. He licks his lips in anticipation; eager to have the boy writhing beneath him.

Edd eats silently. His earlier fears of poisoning have long since been abolished from his thoughts. The smell and taste of the food took care of that. It's a simple dish, but it's more than pleasing to the boy's palate after being starved of food for the past couple of days — both intentionally and from a lack of rations amongst himself and his fellow Eds. Edd notes that it was a silly notion anyway; worrying that the man would poison him. Terry had gone this far to get him away from his friends and hide him away. Why would he poison him after all that trouble? Terry's free hand is still resting on his thigh, but the boy finds he doesn't notice it as much. Or perhaps his mind has perceived no more threat from it…? Either way, he's glad to have that off his mind as well.

As the contents of the bowl grow smaller and smaller, Edd finds himself thinking more and more clearly. His curiosity begins well up again. More questions come to mind. Before taking another bite, he glances at Terry curiously.

"Why do you have cheese?" he asks.

The man gives him a funny look. Edd realizes that the question makes little sense with no context and decides to elaborate.

"Eddy once mentioned that you were lactose intolerant," he explains, "Why would you have dairy products like cheese if you can't eat it?"

"Oh yeah…" the man scoffs, "I'd forgot about that. Nah, that was just a bullshit way of getting back at my folks…Always pissed my old man off that he had to get special dietary shit."

Edd grimaces. It shouldn't surprise him that this man would lie to his own parents about something that would be a serious issue to those who actually had to manage those dietary issues out of necessity. He opens his mouth to comment on that, but is silenced by another bite of food. He chews indignantly, allowing the matter to drop for the time being.

When the bowl is empty, Edd decides to ask another question; "Why do you have a harp?"

Terry cocks his brow, glancing at the instrument before focusing on Edd again.

"The fuck do you mean?" he scoffs, "I play it. Why else would I have it?"

"That's not possible," Edd retorts.

The man's eye twitches a bit; "And what's _that_ supposed to mean, Princess?"

Edd gulps and tries to change his tone a bit to calm him.

"I-I just don't see how a person as barbarous as yourself can play such a delicate, fragile instrument as that," he explains, "Certainly you can understand why I'd have my doubts…"

Terry observes him thoughtfully for a moment.

"You want me to prove it?" he asked suggestively.

Edd's startled by that. He considers it for a moment before deciding that, yes; he _does._

"Y-Yes…" he nods, "Would you, please?"

Terry moves Edd's legs to the side as he stands to retrieve the instrument from the corner. Before doing so, he takes the empty bowl from the boy and places it on the coffee table. He can take it to the kitchen later. Edd watches carefully as the man approaches the harp and lifts it with ease before returning to sit back on the couch. As he takes his seat, Edd hears the springs of the old couch creaking under his weight. To his dismay, Terry drapes the boy's legs back across his lap before pulling the instrument closer. Edd can only observe as the man adjusts and tunes the harp before strumming it gently; his fingers moving delicately over the strings. A soft melody makes its way to Edd's ears, drawing a gasp of awe, shock, and anger from the pre-teen.

He recognizes the melody of 'Careless Whisper' fairly quickly. Eddy liked songs like this that had a jazzy sound. He always claimed he'd play the record for Nazz if they ever went out — though, considering Eddy's shyness around her, Edd doubted this prospect highly. Edd notes, however, that Terry is playing much slower than he remembers the song being originally. It sounds smoother, softer. Hearing the sensual tone of the melody makes Edd shiver unconsciously. This makes no sense! How can Terry play such a gentle tune on a beautiful instrument like this?

Terry's focus remains on plucking the strings of the harp. The trailer is filled with the soft melody. He glances out of the corner of his eye to catch a glimpse at the pre-teen who is sitting beside him, stunned. He smirks a bit, content to have proven himself right. Keeping one hand at the strings, he reaches down with the other to stroke the boy's soft thigh once again. He takes pure delight in seeing the boy jump in horror. With a whine, Edd pulls his legs back and away from him. Terry wraps his hand around the boy's ankle and tugs, keeping the limb over his lap as he shoots the boy a warning look.

"S-Stop!" the boy begs pitifully, "Please!"

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Terry purrs, grinning darkly at him.

Edd starts to whimper softly as Terry's hand travels back up his leg to the boy's thigh. Shakily, Edd brings his knees together in a desperate attempt to preserve his modesty.

"You know _very well_ what the matter is…" Edd retorts in a mumble.

With a devious grin, Terry gives the boy's thigh a tight squeeze, drawing Edd to release a sharp squeak.

"Please!" he begs, hands coming down to grab at the the large hand around his leg, "Stop that, I beg you! This is highly inappropriate!"

Terry removes his other hand from the harp and grabs Edd's chin, stopping his actions.

"That _can't_ be all that's got you so riled up, Princess…" he sneers in faux gentleness, "What's the matter?"

Edd shuts his eyes tight and shoves his hand away from his face.

"How can you even ask that?" he cries.

He's finally able to pull himself away from the man's grip, but he doesn't move far. He sits up on his knees, facing him.

"This isn't fair!" he snaps, "You're the _worst_ person I've ever encountered! You're cruel and brutish and a lecher! You shouldn't be physically _capable_ of playing that beautiful instrument! Let alone playing it so _well!_"

Terry grabs his arm; "Watch yer tone, Princess."

"No! I've had enough of this!" Edd sobs back, wrenching his arm back, "I want to go _home!_ Ed and Eddy must be worried sick! You've traveled so far from that amusement park! They must be exhausting themselves in their efforts to find me! Oh…! And mother and father _must_ have noticed I'm gone by now! They'll be so upset! I left my home without cleaning up Ed's mess! Breaking the door down and littering my floors with his filthy belongings that we quickly abandoned anyway! And I'm _positive_ Ed left the front door standing _wide_ open! They'll be so annoyed with what I've done! If Ed, Eddy and I don't return home soon…"

He pauses, panting some as he comes down a bit from his outburst. He deflates a bit. Why should he tell Terry any of this? It's not like he would care about his problems. Raising his eyes to the man, Edd's surprised to find that he's not angry, as the boy had expected. Instead, Terry's looking at him thoughtfully, as though he's thinking about what Edd has told him.

After a moment, he speaks; "Sounds like your folks don't give a damn either way if all they do is get pissed at you for stupid shit like that."

Edd's taken aback by that statement; "Wh-What do you mean?"

"If your folks cared so much, you wouldn't be worrying about cleaning up after yourself when you run away from home." He glances at Edd. "You _did_ run away, right? I mean, why else would Pipsqueak have brought you and Cheese-boy to me?"

Edd bows his head, nodding in admission.

"Figured as much." Terry scoffs before looking Edd over carefully, "Ya know, I'm willing to bet that Pipsqueak ain't coming for you either."

That strikes a nerve. Edd whips his attention back to Terry's face and glares at him.

"What are you implying?!" he demands.

"I taught Pipsqueak everything I know," Terry explains in a standoffish tone, "That little shit should know better by now than to care too much about his lackeys. Why should he come for you?"

The boy starts to see red.

"You take that _back!_" he demands, lunging for him, "Ed and Eddy are my best friends! They would never abandon me like that!"

Terry shoots him a knowing look and grabs his arms, effortlessly holding the boy at bay as Edd tries to strike him.

"Oh?" he sneers, "So there's never been any time when you thought Pipsqueak was just using you or something?"

Edd shuts his eyes tight, trying to stop his angry tears; "Stop it! You were _never_ there for Eddy when he was growing up! You don't know what he's like!"

Terry chortles; "Denial looks good on you, Princess. But it's about time you faced facts. He ain't comin' for you. Your parents ain't comin' for you — if they even know or _care_ that you're gone." He grins as Edd's thrashings cease. "Nobody's gonna miss a little thing like you."

The boy's shoulders shake with his silent sobs as he keeps his head bowed. Tilting Edd's chin up, Terry makes the boy look at him. Edd's eyes are red and tears are evident on his face as he gives the man a weary look. He doesn't fight back as Terry urges him closer.

"Face it, sweetheart…" he coos, leaning in carefully, "You're already mine."

Edd's eyes are unfocused as the man closes the distance between them. A strangled cry is muffled by the man's lips as they're pressed almost gently against his own. He tries to pull away, but is held in place as Terry's hands come up to grip the back of the boy's head and his shoulder. The boy whimpers softly as Terry's hand presses against the bump on the back of his head. The pain is abolished from his thoughts, though, as the man's tongue forces its way past Edd's soft lips, mingling with the boy's. A strong taste of alcohol accosts Edd's tongue, making him whimper in disgust. Terry uses his tongue to explore Edd's mouth, stroking the sensitive gums between the gap in the boy's front teeth. A violent shudder wracks Edd's body at the sensation.

The man pushes Edd down onto the couch, moaning into the soft lips. The boy's small hands find purchase on Terry's broad shoulders and weakly push against them. It does no good. The boy is far too week to shove the man away. Terry's hands begin to wander. One remains at Edd's neck, rubbing little circles into the boy's nape, while the other travels down, tantalizingly tracing the boy's side before reaching Edd's thigh.

The hand on Edd's leg resumes its massaging motions from earlier as Terry moves from Edd's lips to kiss and suckle along the boy's jaw, making a trail down along Edd's neck. The boy starts to squirm some and, with his mouth free, he begins to make little whimpers. His eyes are shut tight as he tries to calm himself long enough to think of some way out of this.

No good. The man's hands and lips are too much for him to ignore. He tries to think of Eddy again. That had been enough to calm him before, perhaps it would help now? Biting his lip, he tries to picture Eddy with him instead. Again, the man's actions cloud his mind and he does indeed imagine his dear friend, but it's another case of transference. Edd pictures Eddy, in place of his brother, leaving these open-mouthed kisses along his neck and shoulders. Eddy's tongue lapping at his flesh. Eddy's hands massaging his neck and thigh.

It's not long before Edd's whimpering becomes laced with soft moans. The warmth he'd felt earlier starts to come back. Glancing at Edd's face, Terry decides to put more fervor into his treatments of his neck and shoulder, eager to hear more of those sweet little sounds coming from the boy's lips. Moaning softly, Edd arches up into Terry's lips. The pleasure is unlike anything he'd experienced before.

He wants more…

The hand on his thigh moves up, pushing the cloth of the over shirt up with it. Edd feels those sinful fingers trailing between his thighs. He flinches some, but is too lost in his own pleasure to care too much. Terry's lips and breath upon his neck are intoxicating. He sighs blissfully. His eyes open wide, however, when the man's hand moves higher, cupping between his legs. He looks up at Terry shyly, opening his mouth to speak. He's silenced with another deep kiss, drawing a lilting moan from his throat. It doesn't last as long as the others as the man pulls back again to nibble along the boy's jaw.

"Easy, sweetheart," Terry purrs, gently stroking him.

Edd's moans grow louder as he arches into that hand and his eyes flutter shut again. In his mind's eye, he sees a glimpse of the parental sticky note that had been placed on the wall of his bathroom. He shudders to think of what his parents would say if they were to discover his actions in this moment. Giving in to his biological urges and allowing this man, who had abducted and abused him, to touch him in ways he had yet to touch himself.

His body reacts of its own accord. He can feel his toes curling as a pressure builds in his abdomen. Edd's hands are grasping weakly at the the man's shoulders. It feels as though his body is burning from the inside out. He can find no relief as the pressure and heat continues to built. Eddy's face is still fresh in his mind. He sees his friend grinning at him. Hot breath moves from his neck to his cheek.

"You like that, Girlfriend…?" he hears Terry breathe, kissing and licking along the shell of his ear.

Edd can only moan in response. His mind is clouded by pleasure. He forgets where he is, who he's with.

"E-Eddy…" he moans, digging his nails into the man's shoulders in a desperate attempt to ground himself.

There's a pause in the gentle caresses. Edd blinks his eyes open, confused, and glances up at the man above him. Why had he stopped? He shrinks in on himself some as he sees that Terry is giving him an angry look. The boy gulps fearfully as Terry grabs his chin and holds the his head still. He leans in close.

"Listen carefully, Princess," he growls softly, "The only name I wanna hear outta you right now is _mine._ Got that?"

With shame burning on his face, Edd forces a nod. He wants so badly for the man to continue. He has no idea what he can do to make his arousal subside. As much as he hates to admit it, he needs Terry to help him. Unfortunately, his silence isn't what the man is looking for. Terry cocks his brow, watching the boy expectantly. Shutting his eyes tight, Edd forces his mouth to form the words.

"T-Terry…" he moans, "P-Please…"

The man does nothing for a moment, making the boy squirm impatiently. He feels Terry move over him and press himself against the boy's small form. Edd can feel every contour of the man's body, which makes him release a shuddering sigh. It feels heavenly to have another body against his own right now. He feels the man lean in to speak into his ear.

"Please 'what'?" he hisses, "Tell me what you want, Princess."

The tone and sinful nature of the question has Edd biting his lip. He arches into the man, hoping that the action would provide the answer so he would not be forced to speak it. No such luck. The man moves away again, drawing a whimper from the boy.

"N-No! Please!" Edd cries again.

"Please _what?_" Terry sneers at his own repeated phrase.

Edd can hear the smug tone of his voice. The man is thoroughly enjoying making the boy squirm like this. With a resolute sigh, Edd realizes the only way the man will grant him relief is to assuage him and tell him what he wants to hear.

"P-Please! I-I need…" he whimpers, "I need you…"

He doesn't need to open his eyes to know that the man is giving him a cruel, lustful smile. He can hear that in his voice as well when he speaks.

"And what do you need from me?" he breathes huskily.

Brow furrowed desperately, Edd blurts out a whimper; "T-Touch me…! Please!"

That sinister grin on the man's face grows as he leans over Edd again.

"And how do you want me to touch you?" he purrs.

A desperate sob escapes the boy. The man really _is_ just toying with him, now. He seems to catch onto just how flustered Edd is, though, and chuckles, raising his hand.

"How 'bout you show me, sweetheart?" he suggests haughtily.

Edd opens his eyes and looks to the offered appendage, Raising his shaky hands, he grasps it weakly. He averts his gaze as Terry watches him. Overcome with shyness, Edd lowers the man's hand to his chest first. Terry chuckles again and begins massaging near the boy's collar bone.

"Here?" he asks mockingly.

Keeping his hand on Terry's, Edd shuts his eyes tight.

"L-Lower…" he whimpers, trying to push the man's hand down.

Even with the barrier of the over shirt, the man's touch is exquisite. His skin is unbearably warm and extra sensitive to touch. The fabric isn't a problem for much longer, though. Terry unbuttons the shirt, doing so at an agonizingly slow pace. Moments later, the man pushes the shirt open, his fingers brushing against the heated flesh. He gasps sharply as Terry's fingers graze his nipples and arches into the touch. The man brings his free hand up to play with Edd's chest to allow the boy to continue pushing his other hand down his small, quivering body.

Edd lays his head back, panting and moaning heavily. His neck is exposed. Terry can't help himself as he leans down, licking and suckling along the sweet, tempting flesh. Small hands abandoning Terry's, Edd wraps his arms around the man's neck, pulling him closer. He feels the man chuckle softly against his neck.

"You know I can't get enough of those noises you're makin', Princess," he breathes.

Edd groans. The hand the boy had been urging the man to move lower has ceased its movements. Terry has rested his hand near the boy's waist, using the other to continue massaging the boy's small chest. To the man's credit, he's giving Edd's hip a similar treatment, gently, but firmly rubbing the soft, plush skin there in little circles. Edd bucks against that hand. His hips grind up against Terry's and he releases a relieved moan as he feels the man's clothed arousal against his own. The friction it creates is intoxicating. He raises his hips again in a frantic need for similar results.

"P-Please!" he whines, desperate for more of that delicious friction.

Terry nips at Edd's ear; "Tell me what you want, sweetheart."

Another groan escapes the boy.

"You know _very well_ what I want!" he cries impatiently through his panting breath, "I implore you! Touch me like you did before! I can't endure much more of this! Please!"

Terry laughs low in his throat; "So demanding…But alright, if you insist." He leans his forehead against Edd's, grinning darkly. "Spread your legs a little wider for me, Princess." He brings his hand from Edd's chest to cup the back of his neck. "And I'll make you feel _real_ good."

Edd follows the command without hesitation. Shame is gone for him now. He's abandoned any shred of modesty in his aching need for relief. All he can focus on is the unyielding pleasure Terry is giving him. The man's hand moves from his hip. Edd whimpers delightfully as that hand wraps around his throbbing arousal. He arches up into the man, groaning at the touch. Terry urges the boy to crane his neck a bit, leaning in to kiss him deeply. The boy moans wantonly against the man's lips as Terry's stroking increases in speed and intensity.

With the influx of overwhelming stimuli accosting him, it doesn't take long for Edd to reach that glorious peak. The pressure in his abdomen is almost unbearable as he writhes and bucks against Terry's hand. He breaks away from the kiss to release moan after moan and sharp cry after cry. Terry hovers over him, watching in twisted pleasure as the boy comes undone at his touch. Lips parted to release those lusty sounds. Chest heaving with panting breath he can barely get enough of. Eyes shut blissfully against the blinding pleasure. Skin flushed a light pink and so very, very warm to the touch.

It really is a sight to see.

He leans down close to Edd's ear. The boy's so close to that sweet release. It shouldn't take much more to push him over the edge.

"Cum for me, my little Princess," he purrs.

Arching his back, Edd lets out a long, strangled cry. He sees stars behind his closed eyelids as his body is wracked by his release. Clinging to Terry, he attempts to ride out his orgasm. The man watches him, a devious grin tugging at his lips. As the boy slowly comes down from his high, Terry moves away from him, examining the ejaculate in his hand. There's not much. He assumes Edd's age may explain that. With a wicked smile, and because he has no tissues at hand, he licks it away. He snickers some when he glimpses Edd watching him in horror. The boy is unable to move just yet. His body is in a sate of paralyzing relaxation, therefore his limbs are slow to respond for several moments. Terry leans over him, gripping Edd's chin between his thumb and index finger.

"Did you enjoy that, Girlfriend?" he asks knowingly.

Shamefully, Edd shuts his eyes tight. How mortifying! Weakly, he drags his hands up to his blushing face, trying to hide. He can't believe he allowed this to transpire! The shirt is still lying open, exposing him. His body is weak from the overwhelming pleasure and he's panting as though he'd run a marathon. Panic starts to set in. His parents' disapproving looks flash in his mind. What would they say of him? And Ed and Eddy! Edd grasps at his hair, tugging the black locks in distress. He would never be able to look either of them in the eye again. The shame is too much. He lets his hands fall to his chest. Perhaps the man would leave him be for a while. He wants to curl up and sleep to escape this nightmare. Exhaustion is taking him. He's so very close to drifting off.

"Don't get too comfortable," he hears Terry chortle.

Fate is never kind to him…Edd feels a sense of dread fill his chest as he weakly opens his eyes to look up at the man. The grin Terry is giving him makes his skin crawl. The man grabs his wrist and pulls the boy upright. That smile turns far more sinister.

"We're not done yet."

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><p>DuoXKouga: The triggers continue into the next chapter. Just a small warning before the next chapter, if the triggers make you uncomfortable or upset, please do not read Chapter 8! Please! Other than that, RATE AND REVIEW! THANK YOU!<p> 


	8. Scuse Me While I Kiss This Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

**_Summary:_**

**_Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language._**

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><p><em>Author's Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: Before you start scrolling down, THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SMUT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Btw, we're back! And so is Five Nights At Freddy's!_

_Battygirl: Hey so…we're still alive - see?! Oh…guys I'm so sorry, but this chapter was a bitch to write. It was very difficult to get the characterization the way I wanted it so that it'd sound believable for these characters. I apologize for the delay. There's also been a lot of bullshit going on for the both of us IRL which has made sitting down to write all but impossible. But we're both constantly thinking about this fic and working on these chapters whenever we get a spare moment. We both really appreciate your patience and your continued following. I only hope that this chapter was worth the wait. Also…uh this chapter is another naughty one like 7. If you're not comfortable with it…I'd…I'd just omit it. Because none of this chapter is safe…Well…'cept for near the very very end…But, like, the majority is just…omg no._

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: 'Scuse Me While I Kiss This Edd<strong>

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><p>Terry effortlessly hoists Edd off of the couch and to the boy's unstable feet. He grips the fragile wrist tight to keep him steady. With one hand, he moves the harp aside and tugs Edd along. As easy as it would be to just take the boy on the couch, he has all of the necessary supplies hidden away in the master bedroom. He tries not to grin too wide as he imagines the various positions he will be capable of getting the boy into on the large bed.<p>

Whimpers escape said boy as he's effectively dragged down the hall. The weakness in his legs has mostly passed, but it still feels too soon to move as he stumbles along beside Terry. The tips of his fingers and toes are still tingling some from the experience the man had just put him through. They pass the bathroom. The bedroom he'd woken up in. Edd draws himself a bit closer to the man uneasily before heaving a sigh of relief when they continue.

Finally, they near a room at the end of the hall. It's not a long walk, by any means, but it feels so much longer to the boy in his state. As they approach the closed door, Edd notices shyly that the flannel shirt is just barely clinging to his shoulders, still hanging open. He grasps the edges of it with one hand, trying to hold it closed. Terry glances at him and scoffs at the sudden return of the preteen's modesty as he opens the door. He ushers Edd into the room, moving his hand to the boy's shoulder as he follows. Before moving too far into the room, he closes and locks the door behind them.

The boy looks around uneasily. Another bedroom. This one has less dust settled over it than the other and is slightly more furnished. Aside from the bed, there are a couple of night stands. A lamp is sitting atop the one closer to the far corner of the room. The light is warm, but blinks some every now and then. There's a thick cloth covering the window, but a bit of light is still coming through. It looks to be the most lived-in area of the trailer, with the exception, of course, being the kitchen.

The hand on his shoulder urges him further into the room, towards the bed. The situation clicks in Edd's mind and realization sends lightning through the boy's body. He tries to stop and starts to struggle against the hand leading him.

"N-No!" he begs.

"Easy Princess…" Terry purrs, grabbing his arm.

"N-Not that!" Edd sobs, "Y-You wouldn't!"

He's turned towards the man and shoved onto the mattress. Terry easily holds him down as he mounts the bed, crawling over him.

"Hold still," the man snarls through his teeth.

Edd thrashes beneath him, shutting his eyes tight.

"N-No! Stop!" he pleads.

He's silenced suddenly by a harsh smack to his cheek. The flesh is visibly red and is burning a bit. Edd's certain it will bruise from the backhanded slap. Timidly, he opens his eyes and looks up at the man above him. There's anger in that cold gaze. The boy shivers fearfully, shrinking in on himself in submission.

"I ain't gonna put up with much more of that," Terry warns him, "You keep up this disobedient shit and I'll have to get rough." His brow twitches a bit and that wretched grin returns. "Or is that how you want it?"

Edd shakes his head feverishly; "N-No! Please! I-I don't want this at all!"

Terry grimaces. The boy is releasing pathetic little sobs and whimpers now. He won't get far with this kid with force alone. It made Edd respond well enough — intimidation made him compliant, but tense. In this case, though, it's not to his benefit. He looks over the boy with a scowl. Even now, Edd is rigid, trying desperately to curl up and away from him. Eyes shut tight in fear and jaw clenched in anticipation of further abuse. At this rate, it will be difficult to get the reaction he's looking for. Not impossible, of course. With time, he's certain he would be able to bend the boy to his will with his current methods. Make him want every tantalizing touch yet fear it at the same time. Make him beg and plead for more but also for mercy.

Time, however, is not necessarily on his side. His brother and that idiot friend of his would inevitably arrive soon looking for Edd. While it wouldn't be a huge hassle to dispose of the two, it would be an annoying interruption. Naturally, this means he'll have to work fast. And now is a good a time as any; what with the boy lying beneath him, so terribly exposed and already weak to his touch. Violence, however, will reward him no progress.

It seems he'll need to alter his approach.

Schooling his expression he brings his hand up and cups the boy's cheek, wiping away the tears. Edd cringes at the touch, eyes opening wide. With his other hand, Terry gently massages the boy's small chest. Edd whimpers a bit, hunching his shoulders and squirming. He manages to wriggle from beneath him just enough to pull himself back further onto the bed. The man grins a bit and grabs his ankle, stopping him from moving too far, and crawls over him.

"Not so fast…" he purrs, grabbing the boy's chin again to hold his head still. He spots the tears still escaping those frightened, green eyes. He adopts a more gentle tone to his voice. "Aw, no more tears, sweetheart. I'll make you feel _real_ good."

Edd shakes his head again, weaker in his actions as he slowly resigns himself to the futility of the act. Ignoring the mumbled pleas, Terry tilts the boy's head to the side just enough to give him access to the slender neck and shoulders. It had been enough to calm the boy before and bend him to his will. Perhaps he can elicit similar results?

A shuddering whine tears itself from Edd's chest as he feels Terry's lips attach to his skin. Curse this man's sinful lips and tongue! He lays his head back against the pillow beneath him, willing the rest of his body to writhe in his attempts to escape the open mouth kisses on his skin. The boy shakes his head, desperate for his body to reject the stimuli. He squirms as the man's large hands move to his torso, holding him still as he trails those hot kisses down the small chest. Edd bites his lip to stop the sounds from slipping from his mouth as Terry moves lower. He gasps sharply as the man's lips attach to his nipple, his tongue rolling over the sensitive flesh.

Shaking hands grasp helplessly at the man's broad shoulders in a pitiful attempt to push him away. No good. The preteen is too weak to deter the man. He feels his cheeks burn in embarrassment as he feels himself becoming aroused again. Terry seems to notice it too; he can feel the man grin against his skin. It's not long at all before the man returns to trailing heated kisses down the boy's chest. Edd's hands fall from Terry's shoulders as they move out of reach and grasp the edges of the flannel shirt, pulling it over his chest a bit; desperate to ignore the pleasure accosting him. As the man moves lower and lower, so do his hands. He uses his thumbs to massage little circles into the slim hips, drawing soft, little moans from his captive.

Passing the boy's navel, he glances at Edd's face. Cheeks flushed that pretty pink. Eyes screwed tightly shut. Mouth open just enough to expose that cute gap and to release the shaking, shuddering breaths. The grin on the man's lips widens some. A more beautiful sight he could not describe. The boy's squirming intensifies the longer the man pauses to watch him. Little mewls escape him. As earnestly as he would deny it, Edd's enjoying this.

And he wants more.

"Let me hear you moan, Princess," he purrs softly.

Ignoring the stuttered protests, he bows his head again, bringing his lips down over the soft flesh just below his navel. Terry's fingers are still drawing those little circles on the boy's hips, adding to the stimulus of his lips and teeth nipping at Edd's skin. It doesn't take much for him to push the boy's legs apart. Taking a moment to admire the sight before him, he feels a small jolt of excitement. His cock twitches as his anticipation grows. He licks his lips as he gazes upon the boy's small arousal. Removing one hand from the boy's hips, he moves it instead to wrap around the half-hard erection. Edd gasps, arching his back; his cock hardening as he leans into the man's touch.

"_A-Aaaah!_" comes the strangled moan, "_T-Ter-ry!_"

The man fights back his laughter. Edd's reactions are just too adorable. He'd been looking to prolong this some — to draw out the pleasure of taking that sweet innocence — but with Edd making all of these little sounds, he doubts he'll be capable of holding out much longer. Looking up at the boy's face again, Terry shoots him a smug grin.

"You like that, Girlfriend?" he sneers.

Edd whimpers in response. He won't actively admit to enjoying it. There's a mischievous glint in the man's eyes. That just won't do.

"C'mon baby…" he breathes, gently stroking the boy's hardening cock until the boy reaches full erection, "Tell me how much you like it."

Again, Edd offers no cohesive response, merely a sharp cry of pleasure. Terry chuckles. It's sufficient enough; the boy can't even articulate his thoughts. To have left him speechless…it's a nice boost to his ego. Sitting up just a bit, he grabs the boy's thighs.

"You've been good for me today, sweetheart," the man informs him, moving the boy's legs over his shoulders, "Here's a little reward."

Without giving Edd time to register the words, he bows his head, engulfing the boy's cock in his mouth. Edd throws his head back, releasing a long, crying moan. Inadvertently, his hips jolt upwards. Terry's hands are on the boy's hips again, holding him down. His tongue rolls over the hardened flesh, drawing louder moans from the preteen. He feels Edd's knees attempting to draw closer together as they press against the sides of his head. It's not taking much to bring the boy close to orgasm; his body is incredibly sensitive.

Edd's hands have come up and latched around the back of Terry's head as he moans incoherently. Desperate moans seem to be the only sounds the boy can make anymore. However, the man will occasionally hear his name slip past those pouting lips.

"T-Terry…!" the boy grunts, hips bucking against the man's hands holding him down and the mouth around his cock, "_Please…!_" The smirk Edd feels tugging at the man's lips around his heated flesh draws him to add hastily; "D-Don't stop!"

By now, as much as Edd hates it, he knows to be a bit more specific in his requests of the man. A simple plea — even a slip-of-the-tongue moan — would only have him ceasing his actions to tease the boy. His logic proves correct, he's thankful to say, as the man continues, pleased with the boy's words. Edd heaves a sigh of relief mixed with pleasure. It passes quickly enough as the pressure from before builds in his abdomen. It's faster this time. The added stimulation of Terry's mouth, hot and wet around him drives him to that sweet release much quicker than before.

The bliss is shattered, however, as the man pulls back, an impish smile on his face. Edd gazes up at him, confusion and desperation on his face.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" he gasps.

The man cocks his brow; "Oho…what happened to that innocent act you were putting on, Princess?"

Edd's face burns in embarrassment. He looks away ashamedly.

"P-Please!" he begs, "Please just continue!"

The man chuckles, ignoring the plea as he crawls over the boy again.

"Mm…so impatient all of a sudden," he purrs, pushing open the plaid material to expose the boy to him again, "but I got so much more than that planned for you." A fearful look passes over the boy's red face. "Aww, now don't look so worried, Princess." He leans down to speak into Edd's ear. "Like I said, I'll make it feel _real good._"

Edd shivers, every inch of him becoming overly sensitive. His mind is foggy. Shutting his eyes tight, he tries so desperately to hold onto himself as the man's hands drag up his sides. Hot breath hits his cheek and he feels the man's lips on the shell of his ear.

"You still want me to continue?" comes the breathy question.

_No! No no no no no!_ The boy repeats the word in his head like a mantra. All he has to do is say it! Maybe then the man will just stop and leave him be?! It's a far-fetched hope, but it's _something_, at least! He wills his mouth to open.

"Y-Yes…!" he whimpers, "Please!"

He curses his treacherous body. Terry sits up some to look down at him, grinning wickedly.

"If you insist…" he chuckles.

Gripping the back of Edd's neck, he pulls the boy into a deep kiss. Edd moans in the back of his throat, gasping softly as the man's tongue darts past his lips. He senses Terry moving above him, one hand moving moving away from the boy's waist while the other keeps its hold on the back of his head and neck. The flannel is pulled from the boy's arms, leaving him completely bare. He refuses to open his eyes; he doesn't want to see what the man might be up to. He only does so when he feels the man move away from him completely.

It's now that he discovers that Terry has just finished disrobing as well. Shyly, he looks away, biting his lip. He sees the man reaching into the drawer of the bedside table. Curiously, he tries to see what it is Terry's looking for. After a moment, he sees the man retrieve a bottle and set it next to the lamp before looking through the drawer again. Edd sits up a bit. From the corner of his eye, he notices Terry glancing at him, but doesn't pick up on the action until he feels the man's hand on his chest again. He shivers, quickly switching his attention to the sensual massages to his chest, moving lower to his abdomen. The pressure there had been ebbing ever so slightly during the pause in attention to his arousal, but is quickly building again at Terry's torturously gentle touch.

With Edd thoroughly distracted, Terry decides that he needs no more than the bottle and snatches it up with his free hand. He leans down and catches the boy's lips in another kiss, drawing more of those little moans he couldn't hear enough of as he strokes the boy's cock. It doesn't last as long as the others as he pulls back again. Edd's eyes are shut in his efforts to focus on the pleasure. The man grins, knowing that he really should enjoy it while he can; it won't last.

Keeping his eyes on the squirming boy, the man opens the bottle, ceasing his touches for the moment. As expected, Edd opens his eyes and looks up at him. He's overcome with twisted delight as Edd is lost in his confusion, watching as the man applies a large glob of the personal lubricant onto his hand. The boy shivers as the bottle is set aside again. He can only observe as Terry spreads the viscous material over his fingers, coating them in it. The man's clean hand comes to the boy's member again, drawing a strangled gasp. Terry leans down over him to speak into his ear.

"I suggest you relax, Princess," he breathes, using his coated finger to prod at the boy's virgin hole, "This is gonna hurt."

Edd's eyes widen and he gives a cry of agony as the man's finger begins to probe him. He starts to writhe again, screaming and trying to escape the intrusion. Terry brings his hand from the boy's cock and grabs the struggling shoulder, holding Edd down. The preteen whimpers in pain as he's incapacitated - his attempts to move resulting only in a sharp pain in his shoulder. He looks up at the man fearfully. The finger attempts to move deeper. Edd releases another pained scream, tears burning in the corner of his eyes.

"I thought I told you to relax," the man growls, "It'll only hurt worse until you do."

Edd whimpers, his breaths coming out as hiccuping sobs, and bows his head. If this is inevitable - and with their considerable differences in strength, he imagines that 'inevitable' is exactly the case - then he should attempt to do as he's asked. He forces himself to take deep breaths, trying to calm down. Terry watches him, pleased with his compliance, before removing his hand from the boy's shoulder and down over the sensitive chest again. If Edd is going to try to calm himself, he may as well assist him. Moving his hand down, he massages into the soft, but slightly tense flesh. He reaches the boy's member, still hard and it draws a small chuckle from him. Even in his pain, Edd's still enjoying this.

Licking his lips, he leans down to kiss along the boy's neck and shoulder. Edd cranes his neck, allowing the man more access to the bruised skin. As the boy begins to calm and even move a bit as the pleasure returns, Terry's fingers return to their work. The first goes further, probing deeper. Edd gasps and grunts in his efforts to relieve the pain, but otherwise doesn't protest - fearing the repercussions of such 'disobedience'. He moves that finger in and out a few times, getting the boy used to the feeling, before adding a second. Edd yelps, startled some, and brings his arms up to wrap around the man's neck in a desperate attempt to cling to _something_ in his agony. Terry peppers kisses along Edd's jaw and neck to calm him. This seems to work, as Edd begins to relax.

Slowly, he scissors his fingers inside the boy. It makes Edd tense, but only slightly. He buries his face in the man's shoulder, his cheeks burning in shame. The pain is still there, but he would be lying if he said it didn't feel pleasurable as well. The man's touch is amazing. His fingers graze something inside Edd that makes the boy see stars. The pleasure is so intense. However, the tears that had been breaching the corners of his eyes fall again as a third finger joins the other two. The way the man's stretching him there is slowly drawing all pleasure from the boy's mind. It's becoming more and more painful. To make matters worse, the man begins whispering wicked things into his ear.

"Easy there, sweetheart," come the soft-spoken words, "It'll feel good again if you relax." When Edd whimpers in response, he kisses along the shell of the boy's ear. "C'mon, baby, you're not about to tell me you don't like this. I know you do." He nips at Edd's ear a bit. "Why don't you tell me how _much_ you like it?"

Edd digs his fingers into the man's shoulders, panting as he tries to ignore the pain. He feels the man's lips against his neck, near his hairline. In his attempts to assuage the man, he tries so hard to will himself to speak. However, he can voice no more than the man's name, which he whimpers over and over through his ragged breaths.

A moment later, he feels the man remove his fingers. He sighs a bit, so overcome with relief that he does not protest as Terry kisses along his jaw. When he feels the man sitting up, he weakly opens his eyes to look up at him. He's picked up the bottle again. Edd furrows his brow in concern as the man pours another generous amount of the gel-like substance into his hand. His body is shaking as he tries to pull himself back further on the bed. The movement sends a jolt of pleasure through him, stopping him from moving too far.

Terry's eyes return to him as he sets the bottle aside again. He grins as he leans over the boy, supporting himself on one hand. With the other, he spreads the lube over his cock, stroking the hard flesh as he draws closer to the boy. Edd's eyes dart over the man before him, switching swiftly between those cold eyes, the twisted smile, and glancing briefly at the hand around the man's arousal. His face is a bright red as he looks up at the man's face again.

"P-Please…" he whimpers.

His hands come up to push against the man's chest as Terry grabs his hips. A shiver accosts him upon feeling the cold of what little lubricant remained on the man's hand coming into contact with his waist.

"Please _what_, Princess?" he hears Terry breathe into his ear, "Don't hold back, sweetheart. I wanna hear you. All those little moans and screams…I gotta hear 'em."

A little sob wrenches itself from Edd's chest. The man's hands and lips have resumed their callous caresses of his sensitive body. These touches are torture, pushing his body to its limits. His toes curl when the man gently squeezes his thighs as he pulls the boy's legs further apart. Terry pulls Edd's legs up over his own and on either side of his waist. Licking his lips, he holds the boy still with one hand, using the other to position himself. Before making any more movements, he looks over Edd's face with a satisfied smirk.

"Take my advice, Princess," he purrs, "I already told you to relax. If you don't…this'll hurt a helluva lot worse."

The boy gasps softly, frightened by his words. He flinches when he feels the man's arousal pressing against his abused hole. The man's fingers were nothing compared to this. He cries out as he's painfully stretched further. As the head of the man's cock enters the boy, the cry becomes a long scream. His tiny hands try again to push against the man's shoulders as Terry's hands take a firm grip on Edd's hips. The lubricant does little to stop the pain, but a small part of the boy is grateful that the man had been considerate enough to use it at all. Tears fall hot down the sides of his face. The hands on his hips tighten their hold, holding him steady as the man penetrates him deeper.

Terry grits his teeth some as he sheathes himself fully in the boy. It's tight — tighter than he'd expected — even with the lube. He squeezes Edd's thigh, leaning forward to kiss along his neck. The boy's hands are clinging loosely to his shoulders. The preteen is weak, but still seems to be incapable of relaxing around him. The pain has him tense. With one hand he massages the boy's chest, nipping at the boy's neck.

"Sshh…sh-sh-sh," he whispers, "Relax, sweetheart."

Edd sobs. How can he say that?! Relax?! The way the boy views it, there's no way. He gasps as the man moves a bit. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tries so hard to think of calming things to relax himself. Showers. School. That first lick off a well-earned jawbreaker. Sleepy summer afternoons with his friends. Ed. Eddy.

He shivers. Eddy. A mental image of his dear friend appears in his mind's eye. He focuses desperately on that. Memories of his laugh, his voice, his touch. The way Eddy would pull him against his side in a tight hug. The way Eddy constantly invaded his personal space when he wanted to share one of his legendary scam ideas. A warmth spreads in his chest as his memories take him. It brings only a little relief to him, but it seems to be enough to make the man move more.

Terry begins thrusting in and out of the boy beneath him, moaning low in Edd's ear. Fresh bruises begin to blossom on the pale skin of Edd's hips beneath his fingers. The boy's screams are dwindling some, if only because his voice is becoming hoarse and pained. The tears are still flowing freely down into his hair, mingling with his sweat. The agony has made the memories he'd been clinging to fade. Everything hurts. The majority of the pain is focused between his legs, which are also beginning to cramp from the uncomfortable position and his back is aching. His neck and shoulders are tender from the rough treatment they're receiving from the man, as are his hips.

A hand pushes the damp bangs from his forehead; "Look at me."

It takes a moment for the man's whispered demand to register in his mind. Blearily, he opens his eyes, gazing up at the man with a weak look. His shoulders hunch defensively as the man looks into his eyes. There's a sadistic look on his face which sends chills down Edd's spine as the boy realizes that Terry's taking pleasure in the fear and pain he finds shining in those green orbs. Edd's eyes snap shut again when the man gives a particularly harsh thrust, sending another wave of pain over him and drawing a sharp cry from his lips.

"Ah-ah-ah," the man tuts, grabbing the boy's chin, "Eyes on me, Princess. I want you to _look_ at me while I fuck you."

Edd heaves a shuddering sob, but obeys fearfully, forcing himself to open his eyes. The man scoffs, adjusting the boy's legs around his waist. The boy gives little protesting cries and tries to push against the man's chest again as the movement causes sharp stabs of pain.

"P-Please…" he whimpers, "S-Stop! No more!"

"C'mon now," the man purrs, bringing his hand down to the boy's still erect cock, "I'm pretty sure _this_ says otherwise."

A little squeak is all Edd can manage as the large hand strokes his arousal. He feels the man drawing close to his ear again.

"You can deny it all you want, Princess," he hears the seductive tone hiss, "but your body says it all." He nips at the boy's ear lobe. "_You like this._"

Shuddering breaths wrack the boy's body as Terry continues; thrusting harder and faster into the weak body beneath him. Edd's hands scramble to latch onto something, eventually finding the man's shoulders. He snakes his arms around Terry's neck, holding on for dear life. He doesn't last much longer. The man's hand around his small cock is drawing him to his peak so terribly fast. The pleasure is clashing against the pain, neither succumbing to the other's intensity. Edd's throat feels raw as he moans and screams. He prays for an end to this torture. Terry's lips and teeth have not ceased their teasing of his ear and cheek and his filthy, whispered words are still being spoken.

"That's it, sweetheart," the man moans, "So close, aren't you?" Edd offers a moan in response, which seems to please the man. "Mmm…yeah…Louder. I wanna hear it all!"

Edd voice does indeed get louder, but only because the man's movement has become so painfully fast and powerful. Despite all of this, he can still feel himself nearing that sweet release. He arches his back, leaning into the man's touch around his member in a desperate attempt to reach his climax. Finally, it seems, the man is willing to take some semblance of mercy on him as his stroking motions become more fervent.

"Mmm…Cum for me, Princess," he demands through a moan, "Don't hold back."

And he doesn't. The boy screams as he allows his orgasm to take him. As the boy's body tightens and spasms around his cock, Terry is quick to join him in release. The pleasure is too great for either of them. He sinks his teeth into Edd's shoulder, but the boy hardly seems to notice as his body is still overcome with the pleasure. It registers moments later, as he comes down from that high, that there's a sharp pain in his shoulder, but he finds himself too weak to do much about it. His body goes limp. Terry collapses atop him, holding the boy close as he tries to catch his breath. When he does, he lifts himself from Edd just enough to pull out of him before flopping down beside him, exhausted.

The sudden movement snaps Edd back to the pain below his waist and he whimpers pitifully. Curiosity draws his gaze down and he blanches upon finding blood staining the sheets beneath him. He lies back again, sobbing as he grieves for his ravaged body and lost innocence. There's a silence otherwise that permeates the room before a small _click_ draws his attention back to the man beside him. Terry has a cigarette between his fingers and his lips and is lighting it, taking a long drag as he does so. When it's lit, he closes the lighter and sets it aside to enjoy the rich flavor. Now free, he places his other hand on the boy's thigh. Edd shivers and attempts to move away, but is grounded by the pain. He's taunted by the sharp laugh the man releases at his plight and the hand petting his thigh.

In a feeble attempt to comfort himself, Edd curls up on his side, facing away from the man. He's seen quite enough of him. His body is weak and his eyes feel heavy. How badly he wants to just let sleep take him! But he doesn't allow it. He doesn't trust the man - not that he ever truly did. Instead, he waits. In his twilight state of exhaustion, it seems an eternity before Terry finally puts out his cigarette. Edd's quite glad for the reprieve from the filthy smoke. He remains perfectly still, feigning sleep as the man moves behind him. He feels one of those sinful hands slipping around his middle.

"C'mere Princess," he fights back a shudder at Terry's teasing whisper.

He doesn't respond, but his eyes shut as he's pulled back against the broad, bare chest. He focuses on the man's breathing, the arms around him, anticipating further abuse. However, he's grateful to note that it's not much longer after that before he hears the man's breathing slow and soften. The grip around him slackens slightly. Asleep. He's finally asleep.

Edd tries to will his body to move - now is his chance to run! No good. Keeping his eyes shut for that charade is proving to be his downfall. His body takes it as cue to finally relax as well. He's only able to hold onto his consciousness for a few moments more before finally falling into a well-deserved sleep as well.

When the boy wakes again, he's vaguely aware of the dulled pain throughout his body. His legs and groin are terribly sore and his hips, neck and shoulders are still very tender. His neck is also a bit stiff from his sleeping position, making it difficult to turn his head. He can feel warm breath upon his neck and notices then the arms around his waist. For a moment, he doesn't move. He listens to the man's breathing, expecting him to wake and accost him with more vile caresses. When there is no more movement behind him, he chances a weak glance.

Edd heaves a soft sigh of relief upon finding Terry still sleeping. Biting his lip, he carefully moves the arm that's around his waist before slowly pulling himself away from the man. When he's far enough from him, he sits up. He cries out softly as a sharp pain shoots up his back and swiftly clamps a hand over his mouth to cease any more noise. He whips his attention back to Terry in anticipation. Thankfully, the man sleeps on. Edd's shoulders slump and he lowers his hand a bit, thanking what little luck he has.

He glances to the window covered in the sheet, finding the light peeking through to be a bit warmer. There's no clock in the room, he regrets to note, but he imagines a couple of hours had passed since he had first awoken. He at last _hopes_ this is the case. It would certainly be a disturbing shock if an entire day had passed since he'd fallen asleep here. With a shudder, he looks down at his naked body. Shame washes over him. He sees Ed and Eddy's faces in his mind, the disgusted looks they'd be sure to give him if they learn of this. As the tears come, he buries his face in his hands, weeping softly. He feels sick with the knowledge of what he allowed this man to do to him.

Taking several deep breaths, however, he forces himself to calm. Now isn't the time to panic or wallow in self-pity. As pained and disgusted as he feels, he is faced with a rare opportunity. Terry's still sleeping. If he acts quickly, he might be able to escape! Or at the very least call for help. The man had barred his friends from asking for assistance, but there should be nothing preventing _him_ from doing so…

Resolutely, the boy edges over to the edge of the bed, where he finds the flannel shirt to have been discarded. He grasps the fabric in his hands and pulls it over his bare torso. Every movement results in a throbbing ache, but he does his best to ignore it. Taking a deep breath, he gingerly eases himself out of the bed. He has to bite his lip several times to keep from crying out from the pain of moving, fearing what may happen if the man were to wake and see him up like this.

Rising up onto his shaking legs, he stumbles over to the door. As difficult as it is, he attempts to make his footsteps light so that he doesn't rouse the man. His hands quiver as he tries to delicately turn the knob on the door. Locked. He curses under his breath. He'd forgotten that Terry had locked the door after they'd entered. He glances back, spotting the man's pants near the foot of the bed on the floor. He shudders at the sight of them; an unpleasant reminder of his recent trauma.

Gritting his teeth, Edd walks back over to them and searches the pockets. It takes little time to find the key, but he's disappointed at finding only one. He assumes the man may have hidden away any others that he could have used to escape. The bedroom key would suffice, however; the farther Edd could get from the man slumbering on the bed, the better. Key in hand, he slips out of the room after unlocking and opening the door. He leaves the door open as he steps lightly down the hall. He doesn't know how long it will be before the man wakes, but he intends to listen for movement to give himself even a moment's warning.

He tiptoes through the trailer, searching for possible escape routes. He stops at the bathroom for just a moment, considering a shower. It would be heavenly against his aching body, but he would risk waking Terry with the sound of the running water. With a whimpering sigh, he reluctantly decides against it and returns to the task at hand. Reaching the kitchen, he finds only one other door leading outside in the attached laundry room. Moving swiftly, but silently, he approaches the door and tries the handle. This one's locked too. He imagines the key to be among the other multitude Terry seemed to possess, which means it's most certainly hidden somewhere he won't be able to find any time soon.

His hope dwindling, he turns his attention to the kitchen door. He studies it for several minutes in an effort to determine a solution. This door is locked two different ways. The first is a simple key lock — which he finds himself most frustrated by at this point — while the other is a lock above the door. It's a sliding mechanism. If he could only reach it, perhaps that would be the chance he needed? With that unlocked, all he'd have to do is locate the key, just like with the laundry room. Having multiple escape routes planned out would be the most beneficial to him, he believes. He realizes he'll be risking being naked in public if he is to succeed in his attempts, but ultimately decides that, as long as it means freedom from this torment, _it's worth it._

Before he does anything about that, though, he goes in search of a telephone. Surely the man has one _somewhere_? Aha! He spots it near the refrigerator. Grinning weakly, he pads over to it, snatching it off the hook. He brings the receiver to his ear and brings his hand up to dial the numbers, but falters. No dial tone. Edd frowns, but admits to himself that he shouldn't be too terribly surprised. He assumes the man doesn't return to this trailer often enough to warrant an additional phone bill. With a sigh, he sets the phone down and returns his focus to his escape.

He considers the windows as well, but all of them are rather high up or very small. While he recognizes his need for escape should outweigh his reservations about the drop or small space, he also knows that, if were to injure himself somehow, it would dash his chances of escape that much more. The doors are his best bet. First order of business; take care of the lock above the kitchen door.

He approaches the table where the chairs are sloppily arranged and grabs one, pulling on it. The legs of the chair scrape loudly against the linoleum floor. His heart drops into his stomach and he stops dead. He hadn't expected the chair to be so heavy! If anything, it's his current battered and bruised state that's made it so, but it's still a frightening shock. For several minutes, he stands perfectly still, listening for any movement from the bedroom.

Silence.

Is the man still sleeping? He assumes he must be. He tries again to pull the chair, moving much more cautiously. After the painstakingly slow task of moving the chair against the door, he climbs up onto it, reaching for the lock again. Just out of reach. Stepping down again, he looks frantically around the kitchen before spotting a long, wooden spoon. Snatching it up and returning to the door, he reaches as far as he's able to nudge the lock. His focus remains entirely on the door. So close! Just a little more!

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?!"

Cold fear grips him as the large hand latches on to his outstretched arm, making him drop the spoon. He _had_ woken the man. His panicked state had made him deaf to the man moving to find him. The grip is harder than ever before and terribly painful as the man yanks Edd back and off of the chair. Terry begins dragging him through the hall again.

"Little shit!" he hears the man curse, drawing him to look up at him, "Must really fuckin' _love_ punishment, huh?!"

Panic runs rampant through the boy's body.

"N-No!" he screams, stumbling over his words as he tries to pull himself free, "No! _Please!_ I-I'm sorry! I'll be good! I swear! P-Please! Don't hurt me!"

As they enter the bedroom again, Edd is shoved back onto the bed. His lower back spasms in pain, rendering him unable to move for several moments. The man takes that time to lock the door again before rounding on him. Edd shakily sits up and turns to him before backing up on the bed. He hits the headboard and presses himself up against it, body quaking in terror.

"P-Please!" he begs, "I'm sorry! H-Have mercy!"

His pleas fall on deaf ears as the man approaches him, speaking in a soft, menacing growl.

"You've been a bad boy, haven't you?"

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><p><strong>End Of Chapter 8!<strong>

**DuoXKouga: DAMN IT, BONNIE! Why you gotta kill me?!**

**Battygirl: *shakes head* Thanks for reading! We'll see you in the next chapter. Hopefully without any killer Animatronics...**


	9. Close Your Eyes and Think Of Eddy

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Ships: BroEdd, EddxEddy, subtle hints to others that may come.**

**Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**This is co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl**

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><p><em>Author's Notes. <strong>VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS CHAPTER<strong>:_

_DuoXKouga: Before you begin to read this chapter, please stop and look at the Triggers that are listed. If any of those make you upset, angry, or uncomfortable, then please, skip this chapter and wait for the next one. The content in this chapter may cause panic attacks to those who are sensitive or are victims themselves. Believe me when I say this warning comes from Battygirl and myself with heavy hearts. __We do not support any actions depicted in this chapter. It's difficult for us even to write it out and we don't want any one to get upset about this. Please, take this warning seriously and skip this if it may be traumatizing to yourself. Wait for the next chapter if you must, but don't cause yourselves any pain by forcing yourselves to read this. __If you believe you can read this and not get offended, upset, or have any traumatic after effects, props to you. But if you will get offended, upset, or may suffer traumatic after effects, then please, skip this chapter and wait until the next chapter._

_Battygirl: I'm so sorry for the delay here. I'm sure you're tired of reading that and our excuses, so I won't give any. We couldn't get this one written in a reasonable amount of time. End of story. Well…not **this** story but y…you know what I mean. Anyway! This one's really rough, guys. Please, if you're uncomfortable with any of the warnings we give at the beginning of every chapter, then **please**, don't read this one…because it has, like, all of them. It's kind've brutal…I went a lil rogue with this one. And yes, I wrote the majority of this. I won't go into detail out of respect for my cowriter, but just know that she's suffered a recent trauma and could not finish this chapter as we'd originally planned. So I wrote it. I'm about to hit my winter break at school, meaning I will have much more time to devote to writing this fic. Hopefully the next chapter won't take a month for us to put out. So without further ado; enjoy the chapter — unless you really cant handle the trigger warnings, in which case you **stay the fuck away from this one!** For your own sakes, if you can't handle this kinda thing, get out of here now. To be honest, it may not even be as bad as we're making it out to be, but it made DuoXKouga incredibly uncomfortable after_ **_her_**_ recent trauma_,_ so we wanted to try to spare you of that._

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Close Your Eyes and Think Of Eddy<strong>

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><p>Edd trembles in fear as Terry approaches him, the man's face drawn into a dark frown. Anger is ablaze in those cold eyes and Edd gives a small hiccup when the man cracks his neck from side to side. The loud popping of the bones in the man's neck make the boy flinch with each sudden sound. Edd pushes his sore and tired body back, trying to put as much space between him and Terry as he's able. He cannot move fast enough. Terry grabs him by the ankle, giving it a painful squeeze as he yanks the boy back towards him.<p>

Edd yelps in pain as the man's thumbnail digs into the skin and draws blood from the broken flesh. Pitifully, Edd reaches for his ankle to try to dislodge himself from Terry's grip. In his distraction, he doesn't notice the hand coming from the side. There's a loud _slap_ when the large hand meets Edd's cheek. It's much harder than it had been the past few times.

The hit dazes the boy long enough for Terry to reach down under the bed and drag out a medium-sized box. He flips the lid open. Reaching in with one hand, he retrieves a set of manacles. The dark metal clinks together as the man leans over the boy, fastening the manacles first to the bed post. A malicious grin spreads over his face as he takes the boy's wrists into his hands; latching them with a _click_ into the manacles.

Edd squirms as his vision clears. When he moves his wrists, he's met with resistance and the sound of rattling metal. His heart drops into his stomach, mingling with the dread filling him. He attempts to sit up, but finds he's unable to. Cold fear seeps into his body as he realizes that he's chained to the bed. Any chance of escape truly is out of reach now. Panicked, he turns his head to look up at Terry, only to meet the man's hand as he's slapped again; this time across the other side of his face. He tries desperately to curl in on himself.

"_P-Please_, forgive me…" he pleads. He stumbles over his own sentences as he watches the man stroke his hardening cock. Fear seizes the boy's heart and his tears fall even more rapidly. "No, n-not that again!"

Terry grabs the boy by his face, giving his cheeks a hard squeeze as he mounts the bed in front of the preteen. Edd whines as the inside of his cheeks are pressed painfully against his teeth. The boy flinches in pain as the man moves him into a kneeling position on the bed. He whimpers at the uncomfortable position his arms are forced into and he wiggles in a vain attempt to see if he can do anything to ease the pain. Instead, he finds that his attempts only increase his discomfort.

"You couldn't just lie there like a good _fucking_ little bitch, could you?" The man's words draw Edd to glance up at the man.

Terry sneers down at the boy as he gives another squeeze to Edd's chin, making him give a muffled and strained cry of pain. The tender flesh is darkening under the man's finger tips and it only encourages him to continue. He wants to mark this boy as his; his little princess.

"Couldn't just keep your little ass put and behave, could you?" he growls, "Do you think I'm fucking stupid?!"

Edd clenches his eyes shut as the man raises his voice until he's almost yelling. Tears escape from the corners of his eyes as he trembles in fear of the man and what he might do.

"N-No…" Edd whimpers, "P-Please! I'm sorry!"

A dangerous glint comes to the man's eyes as he pulls Edd forward, putting more strain on the boy's arms. Edd can only sob in pain.

"Don't you give me that bullshit!" he snarls, "There ain't shit you can say that'll get you outta this, Girlfriend. You fucked up and now I gotta punish you."

"P-Please!" Edd begs, opening his eyes to peek at the man fearfully, "Don't hurt me anymore! I'll do anything! I swear!"

"Oh, I know you will, sweetheart," he purrs, leaning close to Edd's face, "You'll do whatever I want you to. But I can't let this bad behavior go unpunished, now can I? I need to be _sure_ the lesson's sunk in."

A shuddering sob wrenches itself from the boy.

"E-Eddy!" he whimpers, "Where are you?!"

A manic look comes over the man's face as he grabs a handful of the boy's hair, yanking Edd's head back roughly and forcing the boy to look up at him directly.

"The _fuck_ did I tell you about saying anyone's name but mine?!" he demands. Edd's brow furrows as he gives the man a desperate look. "You _really_ think Pipsqueak's coming for you?" He shoves Edd back roughly. "Who the _fuck_ would come for you?!"

Edd gives a whimpering cry as the bump on the back of his head is grazed. It's not a hard hit, but it's certainly enough to hurt. Through watery eyes, he looks to the man again as Terry moves off of the bed.

"No one's gonna come for you," he adds, casting Edd a hateful look. The cold words are painful to hear and piercing as they're spoken. The boy watches as the man approaches the headboard. "You ain't good for much more than fucking. Who would waste their time trying to rescue some fuck toy?"

Edd sobs pitifully at those words. How cruel in their expression they are…He only vaguely notices Terry grasping the chain connecting the manacles and pulling them to the edge of the bed. He's jolted from his thoughts as the man grabs his arm roughly. Terry jerks the boy towards him at the end of the bed and flips him onto his back so he's facing the man. Terry fastens the chain's end to a small latch on the floorboards before moving the boy so he's lying with his head curving back on the edge of the bed. He cradles the preteen's head in his hands and grips a handful of the boy's hair in his fist. Edd is forced to gaze up at him; fear the only expression to be found on his face.

"I'm gonna make _damn sure_ you behave yourself from now on," he growls menacingly.

Without further explanation, he forces the boy to open his mouth. Edd's eyes are wide as, without any warning, the man thrusts his cock all the way inside of the boy's gaping mouth. His tip makes a bulge in the tight throat. Edd sputters around the thick appendage, desperately trying to breathe. For a few moments, Terry watches the boy try to arch in feeble attempts to escape him. He can see that he's cutting off the boy's oxygen. Licking his lips, he pulls himself out, waiting a moment or two for the boy to gasp and cough for air before thrusting all the way back into that warm, tight heat. The boy chokes around the hard member as the tip hits his uvula. Edd coughs as he vomits around the appendage. His throat is left burning as are his nostrils. He shakes his head in an effort to dislodge the man, who he can see, despite the obstruction of his line of sight, is clearly amused, yet disgusted by what the boy has done.

"Making a mess is only gonna make this a whole helluva lot worse for you, darlin'," Terry chortles, looking down at the boy.

Those pretty green eyes are hidden from him with Edd shutting them tight as vomit drips from his mouth. Rolling his eyes, Terry grabs a rag from the box - typically used as a blindfold - and wipes the boy's face clean of the mess. However, he doesn't provide Edd much relief as he gives a hard thrust into the small mouth, making him gag and choke. Terry laughs as he continues at a rough and hard pace, barely giving the boy time to recover. With every thrust, he presses the entire length of his cock into the boy's mouth and throat. His ball sac hits the boy's nose with each thrust, only adding to his pleasure and Edd's great discomfort. The boy is still making sputtering sounds, vomiting occasionally as the large member is rammed harder and harder into his throat.

After several minutes of this, Terry pulls out all the way. Edd coughs, spitting the remaining vomit out onto the floor. The man watches him in twisted pleasure, stroking himself as he watches the child sob. Before the boy can calm even slightly, he rubs his cock against Edd's cheek, making him flinch at the contact. The boy's face is a deep red and is covered in pre-cum, saliva, and vomit. His breathing is hard and shallow as he tries to regain it. The man chuckles darkly, cupping the back of Edd's head and lifting him up ever so slightly.

"God, you're such a pretty cock slut," he purrs, rubbing his swollen erection. He can feel himself reaching that delicious peak. With a twisted smile, he opens the boy's mouth and rubs his tip against the gap in the boy's top row of teeth, chuckling deviously. "Let's fill that little gap of yours, shall we, Girlfriend?"

For a moment, the statement doesn't register to the boy, drawing him to furrow his brow in confused concern. After a few more strokes, the man cums; his thick semen gushing into the gap and making Edd flinch as the ejaculate drips into his open mouth. With a groan, Terry thrusts back inside the boy's mouth, still enjoying his orgasm as he breaches the boy's throat.

"Mm…Better swallow it all, Princess," he sneers, the threat of more punishment clearly underlining his voice.

Edd hiccups as he forces himself to swallow the thick substance. He desperately fights back the urge to wretch. The taste is so bitter and foul and it makes him want to vomit all over again. As his cock softens, Terry removes himself from the boy's mouth, watching with sadistic delight as Edd coughs and sobs. Other than the shaking of his abused body, the boy lies there limply. Saliva is dripping from his mouth. His eyes are half lidded and unfocused and tears blur his vision. His face is bright red in his shame and seminal fluid now joins the rest of the mess. His chest is heaving up and down at a fast pace, trying to refill the body's depleted oxygen.

Edd grimaces at the taste upon his tongue; that of vomit and ejaculate. He feels light-headed as he lies there on the bed. His need to wash is once again consuming him. The itch is coming back, but is more incessant than before. From the corner of his eye, he sees the man moving, though he's too weak to follow him with his gaze. He feels the chains loosen, drawing him to let out a soft whimper as Terry unshackles him from his current position. For a brief moment, he feels relief as he truly believes the torment has ended. That is, before he's yanked up to the headboard again.

He struggles weakly, his throat burning. His arms are shackled above his head. He gives the man a pleading look before flinching upon seeing the dark look in his eyes. Fearfully, he attempts to curl up in a small ball, but is prevented from doing so as Terry grabs his ankles and yanks his legs apart. The man licks his lips as he grabs the bottle of lubricant, popping the lid off before pouring a generous amount over his half flaccid arousal. With one hand, he begins applying just enough to his cock, willing himself to erection again with a few well maneuvered strokes. Edd gives a small sound of distress upon seeing this and struggles to free himself. Terry lifts Edd's legs up, spreading them wide as he hoists them over his own thighs. He grins maliciously as he presses his cock into the body below him.

"_A-Aaaah!_" Edd cries out, feeling his muscles tearing as Terry continues to push inside of him. He screams when the man is fully sheathed. "I-It hurts! Please, _please_, pull it out!"

Terry's grin never leaves as he obliges, pulling all the way out, though leaving just the tip in. He observes in wicked delight the smear of blood along his shaft and glances at the pained face of his captive. He offers him a few moments reprieve. One second…Two…before he thrusts all the way back inside, earning another agonized scream of pain. Terry leans down near the boy's chest, never slowing his assault on the boy's fragile form.

Edd releases another sharp scream as teeth enclose around his sensitive nipple. He cries out in desperate agony as the man bites down harder until the boy is certain he will begin to bleed. He feels Terry give it a harsh suck before giving another sharp bite. Edd can only cry out in pain as he struggles against his restraints, unable to stop the torture. After a moment, the man pulls away from him, saliva connecting his mouth to the bleeding nub, before moving to the other to give it the same brutal treatment.

"P-Please!" the boy sobs, "No more! I beg you!"

The man ignores him, leaving bruising, bloody marks along the boy's chest. His hands are holding the boy's hips in a vice grip, keeping the small body still as he increases his speed and force. Edd continues his pitiful pleas, which only seem to fall on deaf ears. He lays his head back, sobbing. He tries desperately to focus on anything else. His thoughts go straight to Eddy. He keeps his mouth shut, but he latches onto his thoughts of his dearest friend in his efforts to avoid the pain. The man's caresses don't cease. They remain painful and even become more forceful and abusive. Eddy's face fades from his mind, leaving the boy to return to his pleas for the man to stop. With a grimace, Terry pulls himself back up, glaring down at the preteen. Before Edd can react, the man swiftly backhands him. The boy keeps sobbing, earning another slap. Edd bites his lip to cease his wailing some as he looks to the man above him.

"Shut the _fuck_ up!" Terry growls, "I've had _enough_ of your fuckin' whining! You don't like 'this'? Fine!" He removes himself from Edd, earning a sob the boy cannot contain. "I'll just have to punish you _another_ way."

Edd weakly pulls his legs to his chest, shaking as he watches the man turn back to the box to retrieve his next torture device. The boy pales considerably as the man removes a two-foot long plank of wood from the box. It's very smooth, the corners shaved and sanded into rounded edges. There are holes that have been drilled throughout the board, to cut back on wind resistance. Attached to the long plank is a handle with a leather grip. The man turns back to him, his face drawn into a cold glare. He opens his mouth, to offer another weary plea, but is silenced by a warning look in Terry's eye.

"You need to learn some _fuckin'_ obedience," he speaks low as he reaches into the box and retrieves one last item; a black collar hanging from a leather leash, "And I plan to teach you…"

Edd presses himself back into the pillows and the headboard as the man nears him again. Terry sets the paddle aside and leans over the boy, collar in hand. With Edd immobilized, it takes little effort to place the collar over the slender neck. When it's fitted snugly, but not too tightly, he tugs at the leash, pulling Edd forward and putting a strain on the boy's arms again. He chuckles at the whimpers and pleading look he receives.

"Now, don't give me that look, sweetheart," he sneers, leaning into Edd's face, "A naughty little pet like you _needs_ a leash, don'tcha think?"

Edd can only shiver, unable to voice a response out of fear. The man grabs the boy and flips him around so he's facing the mattress. The metal pinches Edd's wrists, and he whines a bit at the discomfort. Terry lifts his waist, raising the boy until he's on his knees. The man drags his hand along the smooth, soft surface of Edd's rear, eyeing the boy with contempt as he picks up the paddle again. In his head, Edd pleads for Eddy to save him.

_Eddy! Where are you?! Wh-What's taking you so long?!_

A moment later, he feels the man move behind him. He doesn't dare look back as Terry brings the paddle up over him; only braces himself as best he can. The only warning he receives is the split second when the _whoosh_ of the wood passing through the air resonates in his ear. The pain is blinding as the wood comes in contact with his bare and tender flesh. He opens his mouth to scream, but is incapable of making a sound. For a moment, he's rendered mute as the pain pulsates throughout his body. His body is quaking more than before and his knees grow weak. However, the man doesn't stop with one hit. Again. And again. And again. The boy sobs, his vision blurring. He can hear the man laughing behind him.

"What's that, Princess?" Terry sneers, "What do you have to say now?"

"N-Nothing…" Edd blubbers, "Please! Please just…just don't hit me again!" He releases a scream mixed with a sob as the man strikes him again. "_Please_, Terry! I-I'll do anything you ask if you just _stop_ beating me!"

The man grins deviously, lowering the paddle.

"Is that right…?" he purrs.

Edd catches the tone in the man's voice, suggesting something sinister. Terry leans over him, palming the boy's rear. The flesh is burning from the repeated smacks and is a bright red. He hadn't hit the boy hard enough to draw blood, but the soreness should have finally gotten the point across effectively enough. He removes the manacles from the headboard and turns the boy over. Edd cringes as his backside rests against the mattress, the pressure of even lying there making the sensitive skin burn. Peeking through one eye, he looks up at the man. Terry's observing him expectantly.

"Alright, Princess," he purrs, grabbing the leash, "Maybe that _is_ enough punishment…You say you'll do _anything_? Prove it." He tugs the leather leash towards him, pulling Edd up onto the boy's knees in front of him. "Put that pretty little mouth of yours to better use."

Edd grimaces a bit as Terry prods at his cheek with his hardened member. It doesn't take any further instruction from the man above him for the boy to know what was expected of him. He averts his eyes uncomfortably, uncertain if he can will himself to do something so…vile. A quick glance to the man above him and the knowing grin is all the convincing he needs. Swallowing what little dignity he has left, Edd reluctantly engulfs the man into his mouth. He hears Terry release a pleasured groan and feels the man's hand rest on the top of his head, holding him down.

He chokes a bit around the thick member, but it's much less severe than before. The man isn't forcing himself down his throat…at least not yet. Edd groans a bit in disgust, hoping as it escapes him that it sounds enough like a moan to the man's ear. It doesn't seem to be enough, however, as Terry yanks on the leash a bit.

"Suck me harder, you disgusting little bitch," he growls.

Edd does his best to comply as the man begins thrusting in and out of his mouth. He hears the man's breathing become a bit more shallow, an indicator that he's nearing climax. Before he can reach that peak, however, he stops the boy. He pushes him away just enough to pull his cock from the kid's mouth.

"Good boy," he chuckles, pulling him up again. He pushes the boy back onto the bed, crawling over him, "But let's finish this _right_…"

Edd squirms, making soft sounds of protest as his legs are pushed apart. The man spreads another dollop of lubricant over his fully erect cock. The boy opens his mouth to object — he's so terribly sore. All he wants is to rest. However, he knows doing so will only warrant further abuse. Shutting his eyes tight, he braces for the pain as the man enters him again. His hands are still shackled, restricting their movements some as he grasps at the bed sheets and pillows near his head. Terry is still refusing to go easy on him. Each thrust is hard and fast and so terribly painful. Edd can feel the bed move with each powerful thrust. He murmurs out little pleas. Never for the man to stop, but only to be gentle.

"_A-Aah!_" he cries, "T-Terry! Please! N-Not so hard!" He screams at a particularly rough thrust. "I-It hurts!"

He feels the man lean in to his ear.

"You want it to stop hurting?" he breathes.

Edd nods weakly; "Y-Yes! Please!"

He hears the man chuckle, his breath hot on his cheek.

"Then tell me what I wanna hear, sweetheart," he moans, suckling along Edd's jaw, "and I'll make it feel good again."

The boy sobs pitifully. It's a cruel request, but he finds himself desperate.

"Y-Yes…" he hiccups, "Anything you want…"

The chuckling turns malicious.

"Tell me, Princess…" Terry pulls back to gaze down at him, "Who do you belong to?"

Edd hesitates, but only for a moment.

"Y-You…" he whimpers, "Please! I'm yours!"

Terry gives him a smug look as he chortles.

"And will you try to run from me again?" he asks, cocking his brow.

Edd shakes his head fervently; "N-No…Never again…I-I promise. J-Just…_please_…don't hurt me anymore, I beg you!"

Terry hums, pleased with his answer, before kissing along his jawline. Edd leans into those open mouth kisses; the most tender, gentle touch he's felt since his attempted escape.

"That's all I needed to hear…" the man's words are spoken softly against the boy's cheek.

He pulls away for only a moment to remove the collar from around the boy's neck. When the leather is discarded, he moves his hands so much more softly over the broken body, rubbing gentle circles into the aching flesh. It's less painful than it had been, Edd is pleased to say, almost comforting. It draws a soft sigh of reprieve from the boy. Terry's lips attach to the boy's neck, lapping at the tender flesh. The preteen gasps and sighs as pleasure finally returns to him. His aching body finally finds some semblance of alleviation as the man pulls out of him. He watches, numb, as Terry grabs the lubricant from the bedside table. Despite the discomfort of the whole thing, to see the man using the lube to more adequately prepare him is a most welcomed sight. As he carefully probes the boy, he resumes his gentle caresses. Edd arches into his touch, feeling himself becoming aroused. Even after everything that's transpired, he can feel pleasure when Terry's nimble fingers rub gently along his body. The boy's eyes drift shut as he loses himself to the man's fondling.

That bliss is broken, however, when the man's cock enters him again. He cries out in discomfort. The penetration during his 'punishment' has left him understandably sore. Even with the recent preparation, the boy is in agony. He hears Terry's voice cooing softly into his ear, whispering softly for the boy to relax. The man's thrusts are much slower and far less intense than before and his large hand moves slowly down his body. Finally, he reaches the boy's small arousal. Edd gasps, his hands coming down around the man's head, urging him to continue the tender kissing and suckling. It's a pleasant distraction from the pain still throbbing in his lower body.

The rhythmic rolling of Terry's hips is almost soothing. Edd's arms tighten their hold around the man's neck. The pleasure is building quickly with the multitude of stimuli accosting him. It's only as the man is reaching his orgasm that Terry's movements become faster and harder. He strokes the boy faster, urging Edd closer to his release as well. It takes only a few more thrusts for the man to hit his climax. He buries his face in Edd's neck, groaning as he rides out his release. With a couple more strokes, Edd joins him in orgiastic pleasure. His strangled cry belies the pleasure he's feeling.

Edd goes limp beneath the man, exhausted from his ordeal. Terry lies with him for several minutes, slowly composing himself. When he's calmed, he raises himself up again. He grabs the boy's wrist and removes the slender arms from around his neck. He retrieves the key for the manacles from the box and unshackles the boy. Edd rubs his sore wrists when they're free and glances at the man as Terry turns away to enjoy a cigarette. He wonders vaguely what the appeal of smoking after sex is, but ultimately decides it's unimportant. At the moment, he's got a much more pressing matter to attend to. He's hesitant to speak to the man, but the itch to clean himself is quickly rearing its ugly head again. Taking a deep breath, he wills himself to speak.

"M-May I…_p-please_ wash?" he stutters fearfully, "I-I desperately need to bathe…"

He winces a bit, waiting for the man to snap at him. Terry glances at him curiously, observing his actions. He grins a bit, seeing that Edd is trying to be careful about what he says and how he says it. Taking a drag off his cigarette, he turns to the boy fully.

"Sure," he answers, exhaling the smoke with the breathy response. The boy looks hopeful. "On one condition, that is…"

Edd's shoulders slump in disappointment, but he tries to hide it in his expression.

"Wh…What condition is that?" he asks cautiously.

Terry grins, cupping the boy's chin, "Well, I'll have to join you, of course."

Edd furrows his brow in concern, but nods.

"V-Very well…" he agrees, averting his eyes shyly.

Does he have _really_ have a choice? A bath is of the highest priority. More than that, though, he has to do what he can to appease this man. Terry had made it quite clear that he would not hesitate to hurt him for his disobedience. The man puts out his cigarette on the nightstand before rising to his feet.

"Then, let's go, Princess…" he mumbles, turning to the door.

Edd attempts to stand as well. His back spasms, causing him to yelp in pain and cease his movements. He glances at Terry, who's watching him with suspicious eyes. In an attempt to abolish that suspicion, Edd attempts once more to stand. His legs are weak and moving is terribly difficult in his current state. As he falls back against the edge of the bed, he tries to brace himself against the man's wrath.

"M-My apologies," he stutters, "I'm afraid I…I can't really…"

He hears the man heave an irritated sigh before he's scooped up into Terry's arms. The annoyed look he's receiving is enough to make him shrink in on himself. Shyly, he buries his face in the man's shoulder to avoid that look. After entering the bathroom, Terry sets him down upon the cold tiles before turning his attention to the bathtub. Edd's immediately drawn to the sink, which he stumbles weakly to. He turns the tap and scoops up handfuls of water to rinse the taste of vomit and semen from his mouth.

Terry spots him in his actions and opens the cabinet above the sink. From there, he retrieves a medium-sized bottle of mouthwash and hands it to the boy. Edd regards him curiously, wondering why he would have it in his possession. He chooses not to ask, of course. Silence, at this point, is so much more beneficial for him. The man observes him silently for a few moments before turning his attention back to the bath as the boy pours the liquid into the measuring cup cap and as he swishes the mouthwash. It's a new bottle, he's not ashamed to admit — he rarely came to this place. Why leave something like that here? After the kid had vomited on the ride here, he'd decided it would be a good product to have around, among other things, such as fresh food. He certainly doesn't want to taste vomit or his own cock, for that matter, in the kid's mouth every time he'd kiss him.

Edd fights the urge to moan in pleasure as he feels the mouthwash working its magic and ridding him of the vile, lingering taste that is still burning his throat a bit. He briefly wishes he could brush his teeth as well, but ultimately decides that the mouthwash is far better than nothing at all and is grateful to have it at least. After roughly a minute of swishing the liquid in his mouth, he spits it out into the sink. He rinses with water once or twice, to ensure the last of the taste is truly gone, before glancing back at his captor. It's now he can see that the man is preparing another bath. Another question comes to mind…This one can't be too bad? Perhaps it would be alright to speak…a little?

"W-Wouldn't you prefer a shower?" he asks curiously.

The man scoffs; "Don't think that's much of an option, sweetheart." He glances at him. "You can barely stand on your own two feet. And I sure as hell ain't holdin' you up the whole time." Ignoring the rising water, he turns to Edd fully and cups the boy's chin. "And why is it that you're in this state, Princess?"

Edd bows his head shamefully, his brow furrowed in a pitiful pout.

"B-Because I m-misbehaved…" he murmurs, though being sure to make himself heard, "I-I won't do it again…I promise."

Terry grins, pleased with his answer, and releases his grip on Edd's chin before turning back to the bath. The water has risen to the appropriate height in the tub, drawing the man to turn the tap off before stepping in. For a moment, he relaxes in the warm water, laying his head back. With a grin, he beckons Edd towards him, holding his hand out for the boy to take. Edd does so, looking apprehensive as he steps into the water. He pulls the boy down so that Edd is straddling his waist. The position is a bit uncomfortable for the preteen, but he dares not complain. The man seems to notice this, giving the boy a pleased look. The kid really is going to great lengths to keep him assuaged. But it's easy to stay silent.

He'll have to put this new obedience to the test…

"Princess…" he coos in a mocking tone.

Edd flinches before raising his eyes to look at him.

"Y…Yes?" he's anxious for whatever the man might demand of him.

For a moment, the man is silent as he looks Edd over.

"Don't look so scared, sweetheart," he tuts. The boy looks no less uneasy. "C'mon now…All I want is a kiss from my little Princess…"

Edd looks a bit taken aback by that. He bites his lip, eyes darting everywhere but the man's face. Taking a deep breath, he sits up a bit before leaning in to press his lips shyly against Terry's. This time, when the man attempts to deepen the kiss, Edd doesn't pull away. The man can tell the boy is tense — he's afraid to try to move from him.

It's a good start…

He pulls away from the kiss and leans close to the boy's ear. He's going to push the kid as far as he can to find out if there is anything at this time he might not do. His fingers are wet from the water as he plays with the boy's hair, speaking sternly into Edd's ear.

"Now suck me off, my little pet," he sneers, grinning wide.

He sees the shiver run up Edd's spine. This might be the deal breaker, he notes with a twisted smile. The boy looks to him pleadingly. He can see the questions in his eyes. _Again? Already?_ He remains silent, waiting for the boy to make a move. A reluctant resolve passes over Edd's face as the boy sits back. He can see that the kid is looking almost nauseous as he moves to sit between the man's legs. The water is high enough that Edd will have to hold his breath while he does this, but that's certainly the least of his worries.

Terry watches, amused, as the boy reaches to touch him with hesitant hands. Edd's breath is shaky as he gently strokes the man's shaft, trying to coax him to erection. Terry moans softly, pleased with his actions. Breathing deep, the boy lowers his mouth over the man's cock. The man releases a hissing moan. Terry regards him with perverse delight. He really did have complete control over the boy now. Edd really would do anything he asked to avoid more punishment.

Things are about to get much more interesting…

The boy's inexperience shows, however, drawing the man to grimace some.

"Faster," he hisses, "And stroke what you can't fit in your mouth."

He shivers in pleasure as the boy complies nicely. Seeing this boy at his mercy is proving to be a powerful stimuli. Images of what other salacious acts he could ask of the boy assault his mind, urging him quickly to orgasm. His hand is on Edd's head, holding the kid down as he starts bucking into that tight heat. It's not long after that before he cums with a low moan. Edd gags a bit, drawing the man to grin deviously.

"Swallow it," he demands softly.

Edd whimpers, but forces himself to oblige, swallowing the ejaculate as it hits his tongue. As the appendage between his lips softens, the boy pulls back. He cups his hands over his mouth, feeling ill. This time, however, it's less to do with the taste. His nausea comes solely from mortification for what he's just done. He looks up shamefully when the man grabs his wrist and tugs him forward so that he's resting his head against the man's broad chest.

"Good boy," Terry laughs low in his chest.

Edd tries desperately to fight back the tears. Hearing it before had been degrading. Hearing it again now feels more…disheartening. The man really did view him as little more than a pet to be trained and seemed quite content in his view. For a moment, the boy just lies there, trying to enjoy the warm bath water. He wants to wash, but finds himself too frightened to move, should he anger Terry again. A hand to his chin tilts the boy's head back so that he's looking at the man.

"Say it again, sweetheart…" he purrs with a dark grin, "I wanna hear it. Who do you belong to?"

Edd winces, unable to stop the tears from escaping his burning eyes.

"Y-You…" he hiccups, defeated.

Terry chuckles; "And don't you _dare_ forget it, Princess…"

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><p>Rate and Review, please! Flames will be used to roast marshmallows!<p> 


	10. ACIOASAIWE

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Authors' Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: Usual warnings..._

_Battygirl: I have no excuse. I just had trouble getting this out. What can I say, I'm the only one actually writing anything for this fic for reasons I'll just go ahead and not go into because that's really no one's business. Not much more to it than that. I also don't have much to say in regards to this chapter. Just know that a lot of the BroEdd stuff you'll see from here on out DOES have a purpose. It's NOT PWP. There is a reason for all of it. Anyway, with that out of the way, I hope it was worth the wait which I apologize for. Enjoy._

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: A Chain Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Ed<strong>

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><p>Eddy's eyes are downcast as he lags behind the group. In his hands, he cradles the soft fabric of Edd's hat. He still feels sick looking at it, knowing how his friend must be going mad without it. He casts a glance at the group ahead of him. They all look a bit more hopeful than before, but there's still a somber feeling settled amongst them. He certainly understands. His own mood has been fluctuating since they began walking…<p>

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><p>"What do you <em>mean<em> 'we've been going the wrong way'?!" Marie's screeching voice demanded as she clenched her fists tightly.

Without waiting for a response, she made a mad dash for Eddy, opening her hands and raising them with the intent to wrap them around his throat. Before she could make it within ten feet of the boy, Ed had stepped between them, providing an effective barrier and stopping her in her tracks. He glared down at her, daring her to make a move towards his small, grieving friend. She had been unfazed, returning the look with just as much vigor.

"Outta my way, ya big ape!" she'd growled, "I've gotta _throttle_ that little bastard behind you!"

"Hey!" May cried, stepping towards her, "You watch what you say to my man!"

"Yeah!" Lee concurred, "Mine too!"

Marie pointed an accusing finger at Lee; "You stop defending him! Because of _your_ stupid boyfriend, we've been following the wrong trail! Now we may _never_ find Double D!"

Tears had welled in her eyes then. Her lip started trembling. After a moment, she fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands. The anger she'd been projecting onto everyone had finally drained her and there was nothing left but sorrow.

She cried.

Eddy sat, numb, never moving from where he'd fallen to the ground himself. The photo had been held limply between his fingers. His eyes searched blindly in front of him, as though he'd find an answer there. Of course, there was nothing. Weakly, he returned his gaze to the Polaroid and turned it over again.

"Ed…?" he'd mumbled.

The taller boy almost didn't hear him, he'd spoken so softly. However, he turned to him and stooped down. Eddy grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Give…Give me a pen or something…" he stuttered.

Ed had sat back and opened his jacket without a second thought. He scoured through the mess for a minute or two, but had eventually come across a marker pen, which he proceeded to hand to Eddy. Mumbling a soft thank you, Eddy took the pen and drew onto the image on the Polaroid. If the others got their hands on this, he was going to make sure Edd's secret would safe. He took a moment to doodle a poorly-drawn, black hat over the image of the boy's head, effectively hiding the scar. The brief, calm moment was again interrupted by Marie as she began to recover from her sobbing.

"You…" she'd whimpered, pointing to Eddy, "This is all _your_ fault! How stupid are you, really? Going to that sick fuck…following a fake trail…Because of you, we'll never see Double D again!"

Eddy's eye twitched a bit. The numbness began to fade some. Marie sparked the anger again. He rose slowly to his feet.

"Don't you think I _know_ all that by now?!" he growled.

Marie was startled by that. His voice had been soft instead of screaming. That had struck a chord…

"Don't you think I know how bad I fucked up?" he continued, "Of _course_ I do. This is my fault. I'm the idiot who thought he could trust a path left by his…psychotic brother. Who thought he could trust him at all. But I can't change what happened!" He started to deflate, too emotionally devastated to remain angry for too long. "And that's not even the point. We've gotta figure out where to go from here…"

"What are you _talking_ about?!" Marie snapped back, "It's hopeless! As far as you know, we could've been going around in circles this whole time!"

"All the more reason to get back on track!" Eddy argued.

"But where can we start?" Kevin asked, rubbing the back of his neck as the others finally seemed to remember his and Rolf's presence, "We barely had any idea what we were doing when we first left that park…How do we find our way now?"

"Well, _I_ think the first thing we gotta do is figure out why that stupid pig led us the wrong way!" Lee snarled, turning to Rolf accusingly.

"Rolf is just as confused as the rest of you," the boy had shrugged in response, "Wilfred is usually so adept at tracking…"

Eddy furrowed his brow as he considered that. Rolf was right; the pig really _was_ good with tracking…But then why had it taken them along this route? Why lead them so far off the correct path? While the others stood around, arguing about various reasons — the pig is just stupid, it can't really track, Rolf's an idiot, and so on — Eddy wracked his own brain for an answer. He wished so badly that they could have had Edd's deductive reasoning. The smarter boy could have cracked this riddle easily…Glancing at the photo, Eddy cursed his brother. The man had done this on purpose, leaving them fake clues to get their hopes up, only to then lead them astray. He shouldn't have been too surprised. It certainly wasn't the _first_ time he'd been lead on a false path by his brother. If only they'd had something better to go on besides these breadcrumbs and his brother's scent…

He'd gasped loudly as realization struck him. His eyes went from the photo to the hat grasped tightly in his fist. It was so simple. He literally held the answer in his hands! Again, he felt the urge to cry, but this time it was from overwhelming joy. A wide grin had broken out on his face as he looked up at Rolf.

"Hey guys! I got it!" he'd cried. He rushed over to them, Ed following close behind in curiosity. "I figured it out! The pig _was_ tracking right! It's not his fault we were going the wrong way! He was just following the only trail we had!"

"Yeah…_and?_" Kevin had shrugged in confusion.

"Don't you _get it_, Shovel Chin?!" Eddy groaned, "He was following the wrong scent! We shouldn't have been tracking my brother!"

"What do you mean, No-Neck Ed-Boy?" Rolf asked, confused.

"Yeah, what other trail were we s'posed to follow?" May added.

"Well, okay none that we had when we started…" Eddy admitted, before grinning wider, "But one we have now. The pig was following the freshest scent from my brother. That's why it led us here." He holds up Edd's hat proudly. "But let him get the scent off _this_, Rolfy-boy. Now that we have this, we can track _Double D_ instead! If the pig gets Double D's scent, we should be able to find him in no time, right?"

The group had regarded Eddy with surprising admiration then. They could hardly believe that the boy had been capable of coming up with that solution. Hope began to well up within the group. They shared a look before returning their gaze to Eddy. Rolf took the hat in his hand and held it towards Wilfred's snout so the pig could take several greedy sniffs of the material.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation. They could only hope Edd's scent was engrained deeply enough in the hat that the pig would be able to pick up on it. Wilfred put his snout to the ground, sniffing around him. There had been a distinct mingling of Terry's own scent among Edd's on the cloth. It wasn't exactly 'surprising'; the man must've held onto the hat for a while as he traveled to leave this fake trail.

However, that distinct mixture of scents had been enough. Wilfred began waddling away from the area, heading in a completely different direction. The hope that had slowly been filling the group then swelled even more.

And now here they walk, following a new trail the pig is tracking, determined. No one's said anything since then. There's not much to discuss. Hours pass. They stop every once in a while to take short breaks. The group is exhausted, but no one wants to remain sitting for too long. Now that they have a new path to follow, they have no desire to waste any more time. Eddy keeps an eye on the sky, watching with worried eyes as the sun dips lower and lower over the horizon. As night falls, they're dragging their feet. Their tired bodies are begging them to stop, but no one is willing to rest. It's only when Ed collapses that they force themselves to stop.

"Aw c'mon, Ed!" Eddy whines, "Not again! We don't have time for this! We gotta find Double D! Remember?"

"But Eddy!" Ed pouts back, "I can't go on! Too tired!"

"Dude, let's just crash for the night," Kevin sighs, "We can pick it up first thing in the morning."

"We don't have _time!_" Eddy snaps back, "Tomorrow's the last day my brother gave us! If we don't find them soon he'll…H-He might…"

He stops himself from finishing that thought. The others share a worried glance. They're just as afraid of what the man would do to the capped Ed. However, as Ed releases a wide yawn, they decide that they have little option. The larger boy is difficult to carry around as is. If he falls asleep, he'll just be dead weight. They'll get nowhere like that. Eddy glances around. They haven't left the wood since finding Edd's hat. The area around them doesn't feel too safe, but walking much farther isn't in the cards, it seems. Eddy looks to Ed with a furrowed brow. The taller boy is lying on the ground, almost too weak to stand again. With a shaking sigh, he relents.

"Alright…Ed…" he mumbles, "We'll get some sleep…but the second that sun comes up; we're gone!"

Ed nods before his eyes close again. He can't keep them open any longer. He's out.

Eddy looks to the others, to tell them what they should do next. They're already moving. Rolf is making a small fire pit. The Kankers and Kevin are all gathering firewood. If they're indeed going to rest for the night, it stands to reason that they'll need to eat as well. Eddy fidgets uncomfortably before taking a seat beside Ed. What else can he do?

He curses their new situation. To be completely bound to this new trail that may or may not be the correct one and now for their feeble bodies to prevent them from continuing down that path. It's hardly fair. As he glances at Ed, an overwhelming feeling of failure accosts him.

By now, he'd become accustomed to the experience. His grades have never been something to write home about and his scams were never on par with his brother's endeavors. However, none of that had ever affected him like this. Much to Edd's chagrin, he never saw any problem with slacking off in school. Sure, his parents would act disappointed and try to punish him, but in the grand scheme of things, he saw no consequence. When it came to his failed scams, he was always disappointed, always saddened that his efforts were never rewarded, but he still faced no real loss. He'd never invested any money in the scams, so he never actually lost anything — he just never earned anything back from the wasted time and energy.

Now…Now it's different. Now he has something to lose. Something so precious to him. He feels sick even thinking of the consequences of this failure. The other Eds, at least, are expecting him to fix this — to find their stolen third and bring him home. But instead, he'd gotten himself and several others hopelessly loss. His stomach is in knots. Panic and grief are the only feelings he can comprehend.

A warm light and the smell of smoke alert him to the presence of the small bonfire. He ponders how long he'd been wallowing in his own emotions as the others take their seats around him. The Kankers pull out the dwindling pack of hot dogs. Eddy wonders if they'll have enough to last them through tomorrow as they set the food up to cook.

Everyone's quiet. It's a very different atmosphere compared to the night before. Eddy assumes no one wants to talk. He chances a look at Marie. She's trying to look tough — to stay angry — but there are tears in her eyes that escape every now and then. She wipes them away roughly, hoping no one had seen, and returns her focus to her stoic facade. Her sisters look unsure. May looks like she wants to comfort her, but is afraid to get too close. Eddy doesn't blame her; it's best not to push Marie too far right now, lest she blow up on them again. Lee, conversely, is trying to look disinterested, but Eddy can see by her composure that she wants nothing more than to hold her sisters tight. It'd be heartwarming if it were anyone but the Kankers, Eddy assumes.

Rolf and Kevin look worse for the wear. Kevin, normally so cool and collected, looks weary and downtrodden. He looks anxious and more irritable than normal. Even Rolf, who lived for the hunt, as far as Eddy is concerned, looks, for lack of a better word, uninterested. Though Eddy's certain the boy cares about their situation, a part of him wonders just how motivated he is anymore. Eddy sighs, running his fingers through his hair. He wishes he knew what to say to lift their sorrows, but he can hardly raise himself up. He imagines it'll be a long night.

The food is cooked in short enough time and they eat quickly. The sooner they get to sleep, the sooner they can rise again the next morning and set out again. When their bellies are full, they huddle into their little groups and lay their heads down to sleep. Despite his own desire to sleep, Eddy feels too restless. He lies on his back, staring without blinking up at the inky black sky. The fire hadn't been put out all the way and is still emitting a bit of warmth from the dying embers. He hears the fire crackling some and sits up. His startled gaze meets Kevin's own nonchalant one.

"Can't sleep, Dorky?" the athlete mumbles, poking at the logs again with the stick he'd used to roast one of the hot dogs.

Eddy settles a bit as he adjusts himself, sitting up fully.

"No..." he grimaces, "Guess you can't either, huh?"

Kevin shrugs, rubbing his arms in what Eddy questions to be an effort to warm himself.

"What's with you, Tough Guy?" the shorter boy asks suspiciously, "I ain't seen you this weirded out since I spread that rumor about my brother coming home."

"Yeah, well maybe that should give ya a hint, twerp," Kevin snaps back, "I mean...what's gonna happen when we find him? He doesn't seem like the kinda guy who likes losing..."

Eddy tenses a bit before averting his gaze to the ground. Kevin watches him carefully, brow furrowed in concern.

"Do you even…_have_ a plan?" he presses.

"No, alright?!" Eddy growls back, silencing the boy. He glares Kevin's way, "What do you expect from me?! I'm barely able to come up with _scams_ that work! How can you just…_expect_ me to come up with a plan to take on my brother?" He falters a bit, stuttering. "You…You saw what he's like…"

Kevin nods his head in agreement, letting Eddy take a moment to calm himself. When the other boy is settled, Kevin speaks again.

"Ya know…" he begins uneasily, "Something he said's been buggin' me…"

"What's that?" Eddy grimaces, cocking his brow.

Kevin shifts uncomfortably; "Eh…It's the way he was talking about Double D…He called him…'Girlfriend' and…and he said if we failed…" A warning look from Eddy stops Kevin from finishing that sentence. "I just…I dunno…it's been bothering me. I mean…did you know your brother was into…uh…"

"Into guys or into kids? Cuz I didn't know about either," Eddy sneers, hunching his shoulders defensively.

Kevin winced at the harsh tone.

"Do…Do you remember your bro ever going out with dudes before?" Kevin asks curiously, avoiding the mention of the man's suggested desire of children

"He only ever bragged to me about all his _girl_friends," Eddy explains, shaking his head, "He never mentioned any guys." He pauses, looking thoughtful. "Course…I guess if he _had_ ever dated any guys, he mighta called them 'girlfriends' too." Eddy scoffs a bit. "Terry always tried to act all macho and shit. Wouldn't surprise me if he called any guy he dated his 'girlfriend' to feel like…I dunno…like he was 'better' than them or something."

Kevin is silent again for several moments. He fidgets more, poking the logs, now cool, with the stick. He glances at Eddy. The kid's looking more agitated than before. It makes him hesitate speaking again, despite the question on his tongue. Biting his lip, he opens his mouth.

"What…What do you think he's doing to Double D?" he asks shakily.

Eddy shoots him a glare, his jaw clenched to prevent him from yelling at him.

"I don't know…" he spits through his teeth.

Kevin doesn't buy it. He can see that Eddy's thought about it too.

"Do you think he's…" he licks his lips nervously, "touched Double D or…"

Bad move. Eddy's on his feet within seconds. Hate is alight in his eyes which are trained on the jock.

"Shut up, Kevin!" he snaps, "Don't you say another goddamn word!"

Kevin's startled by Eddy's outburst, eyes wide as he leans back. A few of the others stir. Lee sits up.

"What's all the yelling about?" she grumbles, reaching under her hair to rub her eyes.

Before Kevin can explain, Eddy's storming away.

"Hey!" he cries, scrambling to his feet, "Come back here, Dork!"

"Don't follow me!" Eddy demands, "I wanna be alone."

Kevin groans and moves to follow him anyway. A hand around his arm stops him. He turns to find Lee behind him, shaking her head in warning.

"Let 'im go," she advises, "I'll go get him in a bit."

"What the heck is _with_ you lately?!" Kevin demands, smacking her hand away, "Since when are you so up for giving the Eds their space and shit? I've seen the way you and your sisters act around them. Why aren't you chasing after him?"

"Cuz this is different, _stupid!_" Lee argues, "It'd be like if someone took May or Marie from me. I know how he feels, alright? Just…give 'im some space to think. When this is all over, sure, me and the girls will give our boyfriends all the lovin' we're holdin' back. But right now…" She sighs a bit, not sure how to continue.

Kevin backs down, unsure. In a way, he acknowledges that she has a point. He has no idea what Eddy's going through. Maybe it's best to back off.

…For now.

Eddy, meanwhile, is stomping along in the dark. He stumbles now and then on a rouge tree root, but doesn't come to a stop until running straight into a large tree. Releasing an angry roar, he kicks and punches randomly around him. If it were possible for a person to see him in the dark, it'd be quite humorous; him flailing about. After a moment, Eddy's limbs fall limp to his sides. His chest heaves with heavy pants. Gritting his teeth, he tries to rub away the tears making themselves known.

"Dammit!" he curses, "Not _again!_ I'm sick of crying! How much more useless can I be if all I can do is bawl like a baby?!" He takes a few moments to regain his composure. "Why the hell did Shovel Chin have to say that?!"

Of _course_ he's thought about it. Of _course_ the thought has crossed his mind that his brother may have done unspeakable things to Edd already. However, none of that means that he wants it spoken out loud. It's a frightening enough thought in its silence.

It takes a few minutes, but he finally calms down. His eyes are red from crying and his breathing is uneven. After stumbling around a bit, he finds a tree again and sits against it. His thoughts betray him and drift back to Kevin's question. _What do you think he's doing to Double D?_ He hugs himself in a feeble attempt to stop himself from shivering. He knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his friend is in pain. There's no way his brother will leave Edd unscathed throughout this entire ordeal. He can only hope it's not too severe. Laying his head back against the rough bark, he mumbles soft apologies into the night. He can think of nothing else to do and he doesn't want to return to the others just yet.

"_Hey, Eddy._"

He opens his eyes, finally adjusted to the dark, and can just barely make out the silhouette of Lee standing a few feet in front of him.

"Go away, _Kanker,_" he bites back, "I wanna be alone."

"Yeah I know…" Lee shrugs, "But it's gettin' late. You need some sleep."

"I don't _wanna_ sleep."

"I know. But if you don't, it'll be harder to find Double D." He hears her stepping towards him. "And you know it."

He bows his head, shoulders slumping. As much as he hates to admit it, she's right. Her hand extends towards him in front of his face.

"C'mon," she breathes, "We should get back."

With a dejected sigh, Eddy pushes her hand away and rises to his feet. He doesn't look at her as he begins walking back toward the camp. Lee catches up with him within moments and nudges him in a different direction. In his frenzy, he'd gotten himself turned around. With her help, they return to camp. Lee retreats to her sisters, who are sleeping soundly. Kevin seems to have finally settled down to sleep near Rolf again as well. Eddy finds this most welcome as he approaches Ed and settles next to him, using his larger friend as a pillow.

For a few minutes, he lies there, his eyes trained on the sky. It feels like ages before he finally feels himself growing tired. And longer still before he finally drifts to sleep.

The corridor is long, but oddly familiar. The walls go on forever in either direction and he can't see the ceiling. The hall is wide — like a highway. Where is he?

"_Eddy…_"

It's so quiet. As he looks around, he sees picture frames. The images within them, however, are too distorted for him to recognize.

"_Eddy…!_"

So faint, but he swears he can hear something…something familiar…The hallway warps around him slightly, wobbling as though moving in and out of focus.

"_Eddy!_"

A voice. That's what he hears. It's a voice he knows, he's sure, but he can't place the name. The hallway warps again, but this time becomes a bit more recognizable. Furniture rises from the carpeted floor, leaning against the walls. Familiar surroundings. It's his house. It looks like the upper level, to be more precise.

"_Eddy!_"

That voice again. Why does…?

"_Eddy please!_"

Eddy feels a jolt of panic as the voice finally registers to him. He opens his mouth to speak the name. Nothing comes out. He's rendered silent. But the name is clear in his mind.

Edd.

He tries to walk faster, but his legs are incapable of carrying him at any quicker pace. Finally, a door comes into his line of sight, a light shining out into the hall.

"_Eddy!_"

Crying. Edd's crying. He sounds desperate and scared.

"_Eddy! Please! Please help me!_"

He hears laughing amidst the pleas. It's familiar too. Its voice is deep and scratchy. A voice he knows he's heard before, but not nearly as often as Edd's.

Other sounds begin to join the laughter and Edd's crying. A rhythmic squeaking — like mattress springs when he and his friends would jump around on his bed. As he moves slowly closer, he can make out loud moaning, as though someone's in pain. Closer still, he can hear the heavy breathing. It's like the hallway's stretching out beneath his feet as he walks. The closer he thinks he's getting, the farther away he really is. He's startled as, moments later, the moaning gets louder, a crescendo of guttural sounds coming from the room.

Then, silence.

Eddy holds his breath, the silence drags on. The hallway has stopped stretching. He's almost at the door. The crying returns. Little, weak sobs. Eddy almost doesn't hear them. Finally, he steps into the doorway, seeing what's beyond. His heart drops.

Edd lying on the soiled sheets, whimpering. Wearing nothing but the bruises left by cold, calloused hands. Terry is beside Edd. To Eddy's great relief, the man is clothed at least in his boxers, but the relief is short-lived as he sees the grin on his brother's face.

"Too late, Pipsqueak," he cringes at the sound of his brother's voice and as the man's laughter echoes around him, "Been having lots of fun with your little girlfriend." He chuckles. It reverberates louder around the room as he pets Edd's thigh. "Well…_my_ girlfriend now, huh?"

Eddy fights the urge to vomit. Feebly, Edd reaches for him. The most pained look reflects in his eyes. Tears run rampant down his cheeks.

"E-Eddy…" he sobs, "Why…Why did it take you so long?!"

Eddy opens his mouth, releasing silent screams. He becomes hysterical, covering his eyes as he starts crying. He screams at everything and at nothing, sobbing as his brother's laughter rings in his ears. Darkness collapses atop him.

He sits up, choking on his screams.

"_Eddy!_" a voice calls to him, but he doesn't acknowledge it, "_Eddy!_"

His eyes snap open. He looks around. Lee is standing over him, face contorted in concern. Kevin is behind her, looking annoyed, but with an air of curiosity. He can hear a few of the others mumbling around him. Ed too, is looking at him in worry.

"What's wrong, Eddy?!" Ed asks, panicked.

Eddy pants, trying to make sense of it all. He rubs a hand over his face. Cold sweat comes off on his palm. He takes in his surroundings. They're in the forest again. Finally, he comes back to reality.

A dream. Just a very, very bad dream.

He glances at the others, still trying to catch his breath.

"S…Sorry guys…" he pants, "I…I guess I was having a nightmare…"

"Musta been _some_ nightmare…" Kevin grumbles.

"You okay, dreamboat?" Lee asks.

Eddy nods; "I'm fine, I'm fine. Let's just…Just try to get back to sleep…"

Kevin takes the suggestion to heart and returns to his sleeping spot. He hears the others grumble an agreement before settling back to sleep. Lee's the last to retreat to her sisters, watching Eddy curiously.

"Buzz off, Lee," Eddy snarls, "I said I'm fine."

He can tell she doesn't believe him, but she stands and walks back to May and Marie. Sighing softly in relief, Eddy leans back against Ed.

"You _sure_ you're okay, Eddy?" he hears the larger Ed whimper.

"Yeah Ed," Eddy nods back, "I'm fine. Go back to sleep, Lumpy."

With concern still on his face, Ed lays his head back down to rest. He closes his eyes. It takes some time for the others to fall back to sleep, but eventually, they settle again. Eddy leans against Ed, still trying to calm himself. The dream had felt so real, but so surreal.

"_Eddy?_"

The shorter boy doesn't answer the voice mumbling his name. An echo from the dream, he thinks.

"Eddy?"

When it's spoken again, he realizes that the voice is right beside him. He glances at Ed to see the simple boy looking at him with a pout.

"What is it, Ed?" he asks, brow furrowed.

Ed sniffles, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I'm scared, Eddy…" he whimpers.

Eddy sighs and pets the top of his head.

"Yeah…" he breaths, "Me too. But don't worry, Ed. We'll find Double D."

Ed shakes his head, drawing Eddy to give him a confused look.

"I-I'm scared for _Sarah,_" Ed elaborates, "D-Do you think she got home okay? And Nazz? And Jimmy and Johnny?"

Eddy blinks in surprise. He'd barely thought about any of them since the younger kids had left Mondo A-Go-Go. He ponders Ed's question, however, for only a moment.

"Yeah," he nods, "I'm sure they did, Ed. Nazz may suck as a baby sitter, but she'd never let anything happen to any of them. I'm sure they made it home safe and sound."

The larger boy is quiet for several minutes. For a moment, Eddy think he's fallen back to sleep, content with his friend's answer.

"D'you think they miss us?" he asks.

Eddy can hear the sadness in his voice. He frowns. Sarah had never hidden her disdain for any of them. Even the few times she'd act sweetly to Edd because of her little crush, she would still never go easy on him when she was in one of her moods. Jimmy was the same, without the violence. He hated the three of them just as much, if not more than the other kids. Johnny seemed to have a new found hatred of them, but generally tolerated them. Then there was Nazz. He wondered how far her care and understanding could stretch. His hand is sitting idle upon Ed's head. With a sigh, he returns to patting him gently.

"Sure they do, Ed," he retorts confidently, "Deep down, they all love us. You know that."

When Ed doesn't reply, Eddy wonders if he's caught on to the lie. After a moment, however, Ed embraces his friend in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Eddy," he coos, kissing the top of his friend's head.

The shorter boy grimaces in disgust as Ed cuddles up beside him, still holding him tight in a hug. As Ed calms more and more, he slips seamlessly back into his dreams.

Eddy, however, doesn't sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>Edd stares blankly in front of him. The window from which sunlight had once shown so brightly through is now black. Night has fallen. He curls a bit tighter in on himself. The couch upholstery is a bit irritating to the bare skin of his legs near his backside which isn't covered by the plaid jacket. He shivers a little. The summer night is warm, but Edd feels a chill run down his spine. He brings his hand up and touches his hair, the fresh bandages rubbing against his forehead. The cut along the side of his hand still feels a bit tender, but the heavy bandages are easing the minor pain. Now, however, something else is weighing on his mind. The several events since he'd woken up had been enough to distract him from the fact that he is missing his beloved headwear, but now that he has a moment of peace, the anxiety from its absence is returning. It's almost enough to distract him from his hunger. He winces as his stomach, as though to counter this fact, offers complaint.<p>

His attention snaps to the doorway when he hears the footsteps return. He instantly regrets the sudden motion. The way his body had jerked from that quick turn of the head sends a small shudder of anguish through him. He's still in a great deal of pain, after all. Hunching his shoulders, he avoids looking Terry in the eyes as the man leans against the doorframe. Similarly to the boy cowering on the couch, he's wearing very little; only a plaid robe. He regards Edd with a smug grin.

"Pizza's in the oven," he informs the boy.

Biting his lip, Edd nods, hugging his knees to his chest. As Terry approaches him, his toes curl anxiously. He bows his head, his body tensing fearfully as the man takes a seat beside him. He feels Terry's eyes on him and swallows the nervous lump in his throat. A hand to the back of his neck has him flinching. Terry chuckles in twisted delight at his fear.

"Sit in my lap, Girlfriend," he purrs.

Edd pouts a bit and glances at him. With only slight hesitation, he uncurls himself and rises to his knees before pulling himself to sit across the man's lap. He shuts his eyes tight as one of the man's large hands comes to rest on his thigh, the other caressing his back to hold him steady. His fingers grasp at the fabric of Terry's robe as the man squeezes his thigh. The touch is far from gentle and makes him cringe in pain. Were he looking up at the man's face, he may have noticed the mischievous look in the man's eyes.

"Sit up and straddle me," comes the sudden order.

Edd offers a weary whimper in rebuttal as he does so; rising up slightly. It's a difficult task, he regrets to discover, due to their considerable differences in size and the soreness of his limbs. His hands rest upon the man's chest as he settles again in Terry's lap. Shyly, he glances up as if awaiting the next order. Terry sits back, resting on arm along the back of the couch. With his other hand, he returns to stroking Edd's thigh.

"Tell me…" he chuckles, "Who do you belong to, Princess?"

Edd's eyes flicker over his face briefly before he bows his head in defeat, opening his mouth to answer.

"Eyes on me, sweetheart."

Edd raises his gaze to meet Terry's again, looking worn.

"Y-You…" he mumbles.

"What's that?" the man's tone is warning, "Speak a little louder, Princess."

"Y-You," Edd repeats, loud enough for the man to hear him, "I-I'm…yours…"

Terry smirks. He seems to be satisfied with that.

"That's right," he sneers, "Because no one else would ever want a worthless little thing like you. Aint that right, darlin'?"

Edd nods, keeping his eyes trained on the man's face. He squirms a bit as Terry's hand moves higher up his leg before coming up to grope his rear. A flinch contorts his features for a moment and he shuts his eyes tight as the man's hand gives a firm squeeze. The man's chortling sends a shiver down his spine.

"You like that, don't ya?" the man taunts, "You like it when I touch you."

Again, Edd nods. The consequence should he dispute any of the man's words is too painful to bear.

"Speak up, Princess," Terry jeers, grinning teasingly, "I wanna hear you."

Edd whimpers pitifully as the man brings his free hand down to start touching his chest through the material of the jacket.

"I'll let you try again," he chuckles, "Do you like it when I touch you?"

"Y-Yes," Edd stutters, "I-I like it…"

The man laughs triumphantly, pleased with Edd's submission. He leans forward, pulling Edd closer to him so he can speak into the boy's ear.

"It's cuz you _want_ me, ain't it?" he purrs, squeezing Edd's backside for emphasis.

Edd whimpers a bit, but nods again.

"Y-Yes…" he whines, "I…I w-want you."

Terry hums a bit in satisfaction, massaging the boy's soft flesh. He sits back and observes Edd carefully.

"Prove it," he commands, "Show me you want me, Princess."

Edd averts his gaze for a moment, feeling uneasy. He's not too sure what he should do. A thought comes to mind quickly enough and has him sitting up just a bit. Leaning against the man's chest, he shyly presses his lips to Terry's. To Edd's relief, it seems to be enough as Terry moans into the kiss. He brings a hand up to cup the back of the boy's head, urging him closer to he can deepen the kiss. His caresses become rougher as he probes the boy's mouth with his tongue. Edd doesn't react much and does not offer any protest. He opens his mouth when Terry's tongue demands entrance and even leans in some to appease the man. Abruptly, Terry removes his tongue from Edd's mouth, moving swiftly to whisper into the boy's ear.

"Ride me, Princess," he snarls, biting the preteen's earlobe.

When Edd is released from the possessive embrace, he looks to the man in question. The vernacular is confusing to him. Terry seems to spot this and gives him his answer; reaching between them to pull open his robe. Edd blushes a bit as Terry's hand wraps around his own half-flaccid arousal, stroking himself to reach full erection. It doesn't take much more than that for it to dawn on Edd what the man wants. He's not very sure what the man expects of him, but, given what all Terry has done to him in the past twenty-four hours, he has a vague idea. He cringes in anxiousness before looking up at Terry's face pleadingly.

"P-Please, Terry…" he begs, whimpering as he clutches the fabric of the man's robe, "D-Do I really…_really_ have to? I…I'm still…still in so much agony. Please, I…I'll do anything else…anything you want! But…but not that…_Please._"

Terry grimaces and grabs the boy's wrist. Edd's caught off guard by a sharp smack to his cheek. With the man holding his wrist, he doesn't fall from Terry's lap, but he's knocked slightly off balance. His eyes are wide as he looks up at Terry and the cold look on his face. He's not interested in showing mercy.

"Did I fucking stutter?" he growls, yanking Edd towards him, "Let's try that again, shall we? Now, fuckin' ride my cock like a good little whore." He pauses, a dark look passing over his eyes. "Or maybe you want me to punish you again?"

Edd winces at the harshness in his tone and the stinging in his cheek. He has no choice but to obey.

"N-No…" he sniffles, "I-I'll…I'll do as you ask…"

Terry grins, leaning back against the couch and watching Edd expectantly. The boy fidgets nervously.

"What…Wh-What do I do…?" he asks shyly.

"What do you think?" comes the snide retort as the man pulls Edd towards him to close the space between them, "You're gonna ride me. Sit yourself down with my cock in your tight little ass."

The preteen's face is bright red, accentuating the look of distress. Terry releases Edd's wrist, resting his hand on the boy's thigh. The boy glances down with anxious eyes at the man's arousal. He bites his lip uneasily. Every time Terry had penetrated him had been so terribly painful. The lubricant the man had used made the act slightly less agonizing. He returns his gaze to Terry's face.

"Um…" he fidgets some, unsure, "Wh…What about the…th-the…" Edd stutters over his words, too ashamed to voice his question. When Terry remains silent, Edd realizes he has to say it. "What about the…l-lubricant…that you used before…?"

The man scoffs, regarding Edd with a sneer and making the boy flinch.

"I dunno, sweetheart," Terry says with a grimace, "You've been misbehaving again; questioning me when I give you a fuckin' order. I'm not sure you _deserve_ that luxury."

The boy's shoulders slump in disappointment. He tries to calm himself, but it's proving a difficult feat. It's quite apparent that he must perform for the man and without preparation. He can feel Terry's eyes on him, watching him carefully as he waits for the boy to respond. Taking deep, soothing breaths, Edd rises onto his knees. The man observes him, grinning deviously, as Edd reaches down with a shaky hand to stroke his cock. Biting his lip, the boy starts to lower himself over the sizable erection. He's startled as Terry stops him.

"Hold on, Princess," he says, reaching into the pocket of his robe.

Edd furrows his brow, confused, as the man retrieves a small tube. He blanches some as he recognizes it as the lubricant and at the realization that Terry had intended to ravage him again anyway. As the bottle is placed into his hand, Edd wills himself to speak.

"I…I thought you said…?"

"_You_ may not deserve the preparation," Terry explains, "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna hurt myself fucking you."

Edd pouts some before reluctantly uncapping the bottle. He's thankful for this at least. Perhaps it won't be as painful as he's expecting? He squeezes a large glob into his palm before using it to coat the man's cock in the viscous material. To appease him, Edd forgoes any preparation for himself. Moments later, he has his hand on Terry's shoulder for balance and is guiding the man's cock to his sore hole. He bites his lip as he lowers himself, the pain of the initial penetration making the process slow. Terry watches him, pleased as, with a few careful movements, he's sheathed fully in that familiar, tight heat. It's a sight to see, really, and the knowledge that he's reduced the boy to this state is proving to be a powerful aphrodisiac. Edd pauses for a few moments, trying to adjust to the pain again. Everything hurts from before and the fresh pain is making movement difficult. Terry, however, isn't feeling very patient.

"The hell you waiting for?" he snaps, "Ride me."

Edd whimpers before attempting to oblige. He clings desperately to the man's broad shoulders, trying to block out the pain as he begins slowly bouncing himself up and down the shaft. Terry brings his hands down, pushing the fabric of the jacket aside to set them over Edd's hips. The boy whines in pain, trying to steady his movements. As Terry massages the boy's tender, inner thighs, Edd begins to feel the pleasure. He starts moaning, the man's name sipping from his lips as he begs for the pleasure to continue.

Terry is more than content to observe him, drinking in the sight. To see the boy coming undone like this, to hear the pitiful whimpers mingling with lustful moans. It's nudging him toward his own delicious peak. The kid's subservience is another welcome stimulant. Such obedience should be rewarded. Keeping one hand on Edd's hip to steady him, he begins stroking the boy's small cock. Edd cries out in ecstasy, digging his fingers into the fabric of the robe. The man leans forward, kissing and suckling along the boy's neck. The preteen's weak body won't last much longer.

"T-Terry!" he moans, willing himself to move faster as he rests his forehead against the man's neck, "A-Ahh!"

Terry glances at him, panting as he grinds the boy down over his lap. Edd's arms wrap around the man's neck as he feels himself getting closer. Chuckling, Terry hastens his movements, stroking the boy faster and driving him down harder onto his cock.

Edd cries out; "T-Terry! I-I think I'm going to…to…!"

Leaning in, Terry nibbles along Edd's jaw and to his ear.

"Let go, Princess," he breathes, "Cum for me."

The boy clings to him, crying out in agony and pleasure as he's shaken by his release. Edd's already tight body constricting and convulsing around him is the last push Terry needs to reach his own orgasm. As they come down from their sexual high, Edd falls limp against the man's chest, his breathing labored. He feels Terry's hands rest on his hips. The man's lips return to his neck, peppering light kisses along the tender flesh. The preteen keens in response, leaning into his touch. A few moments later, Terry leans back against the couch, holding Edd off of him and cupping his chin.

"That's a good boy," he purrs, stroking the boy's cheek.

Edd shudders, leaning into the hand and cooing softly. He's startled at the sudden buzzing of the timer in kitchen. Terry glances at the doorway to the kitchen before returning his attention to Edd. The boy cringes and whimpers softly as Terry pulls him up and off of him. He's set back onto the couch as the man stands and adjusts the robe. He doesn't say another word to the boy as he returns to the kitchen to retrieve their meal. Edd lies against the couch, clutching the edges of the jacket in his fists as he tries to fight back his tears of shame.

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter 10.<strong>


	11. The Darkest Hour Is Just Before The Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

**This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.**

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><p><em>Authors' Notes:<em>

_DuoXKouga: Well, lookie here! A second chapter in a month! It's been a long month for both of us. So getting a second chapter out in one month is fanatastic! Go Team BattyDuo!_

_Battygirl: Kay so, a later part of this chapter is something that I'd been thinking of doing for a different fic - yes, we have others in mind - and it was a concept that was suggested by a reviewer a little while ago. I'd planned on doing it for something else, but, as these chapters were being developed further, I felt it had a place here. So…there's that. Um…yeah…Not much else to say…Uh…holy crap, we actually got a second chapter out before the month ended. Go us! We hope you enjoy the chapter._

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: The Darkest Hour Is Just Before The Edd<strong>

* * *

><p>Sore…Every inch of him is in agony. With a near-silent whimper, Edd tries to will himself to go back to sleep. At least then he can stave off the pain for a little longer. However, his body is unwilling to let him rest any more. Certain urges make themselves known. His throat is terribly dry and he finds himself in need of the lavatory. With a soft sigh, he blinks his eyes open. Sunlight is peeking in through the makeshift curtains, giving some semblance of light to the dark bedroom. As Edd becomes more and more aware of his surroundings, he notices the arm wrapped possessively around his middle. Glancing down, he finds himself naked beneath the sheets and is reluctantly reminded of the events of the previous night. Naturally, Terry had decided to end their night by ravaging him again. Edd grimaces at the memory, wondering how the man can have nothing better to do. He vaguely wonders if Terry's employers know or care that he's been gone the past couple of days. It's a thought that doesn't last long, of course. He has more pressing matters to consider.<p>

Carefully, he pulls the man's arm off of him. Chancing a glance back, he observes his captor for a few moments. He considers waking him; if Terry catches him out of bed alone, he may become angry. However, he ultimately decides against it. After all, the man's anger is triggered so easily — waking him may not be the wisest move. Edd pulls himself away from Terry before rising from the bed on shaking legs. He spots the plaid jacket and grabs it, pulling it on over his bare form. Taking quiet steps to avoid waking the man, Edd exits the room. He's pleased to note that Terry hadn't locked the door this time. His first stop as he walks down the hall is the bathroom.

Flipping on the light switch, he pales at the sight of a considerable amount of blood on the tiles. That's right…Terry hadn't cleaned up after they'd exited the bathroom. And, after eating, he hadn't had such trivial acts on his mind before they'd retired to bed. It makes him realize that he must have been bleeding pretty badly. The boy tries desperately to ignore it. Now isn't the time for him to try to clean. He has to focus on the task at hand. He doesn't waste his time, staying just long enough to relieve himself. After which, he flushes the toilet and washes his hands. The mouthwash is still sitting on the sink, beckoning him. He grimaces at the dryness of his mouth. He'll still need to retrieve a glass from the kitchen to fill with water, but the mouthwash should grant him a momentary reprieve from the dryness in his mouth and, as he'd noted the night before, a suitable replacement for a toothbrush and toothpaste. With that thought in mind, he rinses his mouth out. It makes him yearn for a shower as well, but he knows better than to dally any longer than he already has.

After spitting out the mouthwash and rinsing with water to eliminate the slight burn, he exists the bathroom. He makes a beeline for the kitchen, the notion of a cold glass of water the only thing on his mind. He looks through the cabinets he can reach in search of a cup. Finally, he spots a couple on a higher shelf in a cupboard above the sink, still littered with dirty dishes from their previous meals. With a grin, he carefully moves the chair that had been left by the door to the counter. The thought of escape is still in the back of his mind, but he knows well to ignore it. There's no possible way he can flee at the moment. Even if he could, he's not sure he wants to chance it. If he were to leave, Terry would come after him and surely drag him back. He shudders to think what the man would then do to him in that case.

With the glass in hand, Edd turns to the sink, sitting on the counter top as he turns on the water. He licks his lips as he watches the glass fill. When it's a little more than half-full, he shuts off the water and carefully climbs down off of the chair. Before making the trip back to the room, Edd decides he can't wait any longer. Lifting the glass to his lips, he starts to take a long, refreshing drink.

"And just _what_ do you think you're doing out of bed?!"

Edd gasps, choking on the water. He lowers the glass, trying to keep a grip on it as he coughs violently. Over his own coughing, he hears footsteps quickly approach him. A large hand grabs him, yanking him forward.

"Trying to run away from me again?!" the man accuses, "What's it gonna fuckin' _take_ to make you stay put?!"

Edd glances up in time to see Terry raising his other hand to strike him. Desperately, Edd drops the glass to shield himself.

"N-No! Please!" he begs, "Have mercy! I-I was merely pouring myself a glass of water!" Terry hesitates, caught off guard by the boy's words. "That's all! I-I was going to come back! I-I was just so thirsty! P-Please don't hit me again!"

The man regards him suspiciously for a moment. As Edd continues whimpering little pleas, Terry glances around; spotting the chair that had been moved to the counter. The cabinet's still open to reveal his sparse collection of glassware and the now shattered glass on the floor further backs up the preteen's statement. He grins a bit, pleased to find that the boy had indeed been telling the truth. Edd had obediently refused to attempt escaping him again and even seemed to have been intent on returning to his bed.

However…His eyes trail down to the floor where the shards of glass now lay. He can't just let that slide. With a grimace, he yanks the boy towards him, making Edd lower his arms to steady himself before striking him. The preteen cries out in pain, holding his stinging cheek.

"You may not have been tryin' to leave," the man growls, "But you broke that fuckin' glass and made a mess."

Edd glances down at the floor, cringing at the sight of the spilt water and broken glass. Terry gives a firm yank, throwing Edd to the ground. By sheer luck, he's able to just avoid the shards that would have otherwise cut deep gashes into his delicate palms. He tries to rise up, but is halted as the man puts his foot on the boy's back; putting just enough weight into the step that the boy is pushed down.

"Clean it up," comes the harsh demand.

Edd whimpers before reaching for the shards. He carefully tries to pick them up, but with the pressure on his back, he inevitably cuts his fingers several times. The cuts are deep enough to bleed, the crimson drops mingling with the water. The pressure on his back is finally removed when the glass is all collected. Stumbling to his feet, Edd hobbles over to the trash can to dispose of the shards. He glances around for something to clean up the water. There's a towel by the sink. The boy grabs it before rushing back over to the man waiting for him. He falls to his knees to soak up the water. Terry watches him, adjusting the robe he'd thrown on haphazardly. When the water and blood have been mopped up, Edd stands straight. Terry snatches the soiled towel and tosses it onto the table before grabbing the boy's arm again, pulling Edd close and leaning into his face.

"Good boy," he growls, "Now, are you gonna misbehave like that again?"

Edd shakes his head desperately; "N-No. I…I'm sorry. I-I'll behave, I promise."

"Good," he sneers. He looks over Edd, his eyes narrowing, "You don't leave my bed like that again, _got it?_ Remember who you belong to."

Edd nods, squirming a bit; "Y-You…of course. I…I won't do it again."

He swallows, his throat terribly dry. His face burns in embarrassment as he both hears and feels his stomach growling. Terry chortles in amusement, releasing him.

"Hungry?" he asks, cocking his brow.

Edd nods holding a hand over his stomach.

"Thought as much…" the man chuckles, "Breakfast sounds pretty good, actually."

Edd nods again; "Would…Would you like me to assist you?"

"No, you'll just get in the way, I'm sure," Terry retorts, walking towards the hallway, "Go take a seat in the living room and wait. I gotta take a leak first."

Edd grimaces at his vernacular, but follows the command without hesitation. He's surprised by the man's behavior. Terry had been angry, but the punishment had been far less severe than he'd expected. He attributes it to the morning. Perhaps the man is still tired? Either way, Edd knows he must tread carefully. It's difficult to say what may set the man off again.

* * *

><p>Eddy is brought from his haze by the sun. It's still early morning, but he missed the initial rise. With a sigh, he sits up straight. He glances around at the others. They're still sleeping soundly. He bites his lip. He's still exhausted himself, but they have to get up and start moving. He stumbles sleepily over to the Kankers and grabs their backpack of rations in search of a water bottle. It's warm from the summer heat, but it'll do. Uncapping the bottle, he takes a long swig before pouring the liquid into his cupped hand. He splashes his face a couple times to wake himself up more thoroughly. A few of the others begin to stir and stretch. With the bottle in hand, Eddy approaches Ed. He douses the taller boy's face with the water, waking him with a start.<p>

"Not the soap!" the drenched boy shrieks.

Eddy rolls his eyes.

"Get up, Lumpy!" he demands, "We gotta get a move on!"

"What about breakfast, Eddy?" Ed pouts.

"Did ya forget why we're here, Monobrow?!" the shorter boy fumes, "We gotta get back on the trail and find Double D!"

At the mention of their dear friend's name, Ed becomes hyper alert, scrambling to his feet. Eddy shakes his head and glances at Rolf, who looks the most awake of the group.

"Hey, Stretch!" he sneers, "Where's that pig of yours? We gotta get goin'."

"Of course, Short-Tempered Ed-boy," Rolf nods, standing at attention, "Wilfred! Come to Rolf!"

The pig waddles from his sleeping spot a few feet away, the same vacant expression on his face. Eddy lets Rolf take Edd's hat again, allowing Wilfred to get the scent. When the cap is handed back to him, Eddy quickly pockets it, determined to keep it safe. The group wastes no time. After the pig finds the trail again, they're off.

The monotony of the trek is torture. For several agonizing hours, nothing happens. Eddy can feel himself getting more and more anxious. When he's not staring at the ground, lost in his own, tormented thoughts, he's got his eyes on the sky; trying and failing to estimate the time. He asks Rolf for the time instead. After the third instance, Rolf starts ignoring him at Kevin's request. The shorter boy feels his fingers twitching nervously. He pressures Rolf to make Wilfred move faster. Time and again, Rolf assures Eddy that the pig is moving as fast as possible.

They follow the woods for a long time and feel no closer to their destination than when they began. To make matters worse, Wilfred eventually slows. He comes to a stop, sniffing the ground and waddling in little circles. He's confused.

"Aw not _again!_" Eddy seethes, "What the hell, Rolf?!"

Rolf shrugs, "Sincerest apologies, Ed-Boy. Rolf cannot comprehend Wilfred's behavior. Perhaps the trail is colder than we imagined?"

"No!" Eddy tugs at his hair, "That's bullshit! Make the pig keep going! He's not trying hard enough!"

"Calm yourself, Ill-Tempered Ed-Boy," Rolf attempts to soothe him.

"Fuck that!" Eddy snaps back, "That stupid pig is making us waste time! We gotta fi—"

"Look!" May cries suddenly.

They follow the direction she's pointing. Just past the trees, a multitude of trailers are nestled. Eddy darts past the others, rushing forward. He stops at the border of the wood, looking around with wide eyes. He reaches into his pocket and retrieves the photo he'd taken from Terry's trailer. It's a familiar setting. Perhaps…

The others strive to keep up as he scampers about, eyes flickering all around in frantic search. Finally, he spots a sign. It's severely worn, having just barely withstood the test of time. Weathered in several places. Faded. But he can still make out the words in neon orange color.

'Pine Fresh Motor Homes'

He feels a jolt of adrenaline. It's the trailer park from the photo! He grins and turns to the others.

"We _gotta_ be close."

* * *

><p>Terry reclines, back propped against the arm of the couch as he pulls Edd closer. The boy moans softly against his lips as the man's hands support his thighs. His recently bandaged fingers curl, gripping the man's shoulders. Though Edd detests it, he would be lying if he said it wasn't pleasant. Despite the caresses being less than gentle, the kisses aren't nearly as possessive or rough as they had been. Edd thanks his stars that the man is in a better mood than he had been through the majority of their time together. Still, the boy has a feeling that it won't last. In the meantime, of course, he's certainly not going to protest. He's not enduring any more pain. It's an improvement to say the least.<p>

That is, until the kisses slowly deepen. The man starts to get a bit rough, biting the boy's lip and kneading the soft flesh beneath his hands. He rolls his hips up, pressing his body against the smaller one atop him. Edd offers a weak moan in response as he feels the man grow aroused beneath him. He shivers. _Not again…Please…not again…_Edd pulls himself away from the heated kisses, breathing heavily. Terry shoots him a glare.

"Get back here," he growls the demand.

Edd recognizes from his tone that the man isn't interested in repeating himself. Should he deny him, a punishment may follow. He glances around, searching for some kind of distraction. The harp glimmers in the sunlight. It's a slim chance, but maybe it would buy the boy a bit of time before the inevitable. He returns his attention to the man as Terry grabs the back of his neck, to pull him back in for more.

"W-Wait! Please!" Edd cries out, hands on the man's chest to hold himself at bay, "W-Would you…Would you play for me again?"

Terry pauses as the boy's words register. He glances at the harp before returning his attention to Edd, eying him suspiciously.

"Pretty weird request from someone who didn't seem to like my playing before," he notes, cocking his brow.

Edd bites his lip, trying to think quickly. It's certainly a difficult feat. His mind is clouded with fear. If he can't come up with a decent excuse, he's certainly in for some kind of abuse. It's such a small thing to be punished for, but the man had beaten his own brother for less and has so far shown the boy before him little mercy. Keeping his breathing calm and even, he speaks.

"I…I didn't appreciate it before," he stutters, wringing his hands together. He averts his eyes and hunches his back a bit, attempting to look as meek as possible. "How beautifully you play…I took it for granted then. But…I know better now." He chances a glance at the man's face for a reaction. Terry's still observing him, though his expression is unreadable. "I…I'd very much like to hear you play again. For me…?"

He waits with bated breath for the man to respond. For several moments, he's silent, his eyes taking in the sight of the boy prostrating himself before him. Edd shifts uncomfortably under his scrutiny, averting his gaze every so often in discomfort, but always returning attention to the man's face. After the pause, a smug grin tugs at the man's lips.

"That's a pretty cute act you've got, Princess," he purrs, tracing Edd's jaw, "Alright. Why not? Aside from you breaking that glass, you've been pretty good for me today. I guess you can have a little treat."

Edd fights back his sigh of relief as he removes himself from the man's lap. After he sits up, Terry's able to retrieve the harp and pull it towards the couch. The man grimaces a bit as he notices that he can't have the boy sit in his lap again.

"Lay your pretty little head in my lap, Girlfriend," he orders, "and I'll play you somethin' _real_ nice."

Edd gulps anxiously before following the order without hesitation. He lies on his back, his head resting on the man's thigh. Terry grins, pleased. With Edd lying obediently beside him, his fingers set to work on the strings of the harp. The boy closes his eyes as he listens to the music. It's a song he doesn't recognize, but that is quite pleasing to his ear. As the music settles in the air, he finds himself lulled by the gentle melody. Terry plays for what feels like ages, but Edd imagines it's the lilting tone that makes it feel like time has slowed. He shivers, a chill accosting him. He's reminded that he's wearing so little. Opening his eyes, he looks up at the man anxiously.

"T-Terry…" he mumbles. He wonders if he should have spoken louder, but the man soon shifts his gaze to the boy, to show that he'd heard him. "Um…F-Forgive me, but…is there…_any_ way I could have something…'else' to wear?"

The man scoffs; "Just like a little Princess…What you got on ain't good enough for ya? You _could_ be walkin' around naked, ya know."

Edd feels his face burning a bit; "I-It's not that…I-I'm just feeling a bit…uncomfortable." His fingers grasp the fabric of the plaid jacket. "B-But my current attire is m-more than acceptable. I was merely curious, I suppose…"

Terry grins, chuckling softly.

"Alright, sweetheart," he shrugs, relinquishing his fingers from the strings, "Let's see what else we can find for you to wear."

Edd's startled by this development as he sits up to allow Terry to rise to his feet. He trails behind the man, curious as he's led back to the bedroom. Remaining close to the door, he looks around anxiously, doing his best to avoid looking at the bed. The man moves immediately to his closet and pulls the door open slightly. Reaching in, he retrieves a plastic bag. Edd's caught off guard as the sack is handed to him. Had the man made a recent purchase for him? When he glances at Terry's face, he catches a devilish gleam in those cold eyes. Hesitantly, he sets the bag on the bed, turning away from the man. Taking a shuddering breath, he begins sifting through its contents.

He pales as he removes the first item. A dress; red, with frills along the trim. Brow furrowed, he casts the man a weary and pleading look. Surely, he must be joking. The man's expression is unchanging, but expecting. Edd heaves a whimpering sigh. No, of course it's not a joke. Setting the garment aside, he returns his attention to the bag. The next item is no better than the first. Another dress, pale blue instead of the garish red and sleeveless. It's also a bit shorter than the other. He becomes desperate, looking to the bag for its final content. _No…_He doesn't remove it. _This can't be right…_How cruel could this man be?! He turns to him to protest. Terry's giving him a smug grin.

"Woulda given you those the other night," he explains, "but I wanted to see you in my jacket for a while instead. Probably woulda forgot about it if you hadn't said anything, Girlfriend."

Edd's shoulders fall. He returns his gaze to the bag. He hears Terry approach him. Feels the man lean over him; the large hand on his shoulder as he bends to speak into the boy's ear.

"I expect you to wear them with a smile, sweetheart," he purrs, hands lowering to rest on the slender hips. His words have a threatening undertone. "Pick your favorite and put it on for me." He cups Edd's chin and urges the boy to look at him. "And I'll give you somethin' _good_."

Edd shudders, swallowing the lump in his throat, but nods as Terry stands straight again. The man moves to the door, drawing the boy to glance at him, confused. Naturally, he'd expected the man to stay and watch him dress.

"Change quick, will ya," he requests, though Edd hears the order in his voice, "I'm lookin' forward to seeing you in your new outfit."

Ah, so he's delaying gratification. The door closes behind him as Terry exits the room. Edd crumbles, leaning on the bed for support. Tears fall silently down his cheeks. So cruel…He does his best to compose himself. Dries his tears as he stands straight again. It would be unwise to keep the man waiting. With shaky breaths, he complies. He removes the jacket before choosing the red dress and pulling it on, with some difficulty, over his head. As he smoothes it over his lithe frame, he glances at the bag. He imagines he'll be expected to wear _those_ too…Taking a deep breath, he retrieves the lacy panties therein. Shamefully, he pulls them on under the dress. If anything, perhaps it will reward him some gentleness from the man? As he endures the discomfort, he prays, for the first time since his abduction, that his dear friends won't come for him yet. To see him like…_this?_ The shame would be too great for him to bear. When he's dressed, he turns to the door.

"O-Okay…Terry…" he stutters, "I…I'm ready for you…"

There's little pause before the man re-enters the room. He chuckles, grinning maliciously.

"Well now," he hums, "Don't you look _pretty._"

Edd whimpers, bowing his head shyly as Terry approaches him. The man grabs his arm, pulling the boy to stand before the closet. Upon opening the door, Edd is greeted by a grim sight. A full-length mirror stands in the otherwise empty closet. His mouth is dry as he looks at his own, bruised face. It's the first time he's seen his own reflection in days.

And he's not happy with the sight.

Love marks cover his body. Arms, legs, every inch of skin he could see; marred by splotches of red, black and blue. The dress hangs off his small, frail body; refusing to cling to his scrawny figure. Contrary to the man's statement, it's anything but flattering. The hands that come to rest on his shoulders remind him that the man's even still in the room with him. He looks to Terry's face as the man leans over him.

"Such a delicate little thing you are," he breathes, grinning deviously, "But at least you _finally_ look the part."

Confusion isn't hidden on the boy's face.

"Wh…What part…?" he asks, brow furrowed.

Terry leans into his ear, eyes trained on the boy's face for his reaction. He cups Edd's chin, forcing the boy to look into the mirror.

"The part of my little girlfriend," he half-snarls, nipping at the boy's lobe, "What else?"

Edd cringes, stung by the comment, but chooses not to protest the statement. He feels the man's hands squeezing and massaging his shoulders as he looks the boy over. After a moment he chuckles.

"Changed my mind, Princess," he purrs, "As good as you look in that, you look _way_ better with it off." Edd furrows his brow, wishing he could counter that view. "How 'bout you put on a lil show for me?" Terry's hands roam from the boy's shoulders, caressing his back, his chest, down to his hips as he kisses the shell of the boy's ear. "Take it off, sweetheart…nice and slow."

With a shuddering sigh, Edd follows the command. He slips his arms out of the sleeves before sliding the dress down his body. From what he can see of the man's expression, he's pleased by the performance. As the frock pools at the boy's ankles, leaving him in only the panties, the man chuckles deviously. His hands accost Edd's sides, enjoying the very slight curve there. It's certainly nothing like that of a real female body, but there's just enough from Edd's plush hips and the slimness of his torso to give it a hint of curve. With a shiver, Edd shuts his eyes, trying to keep his breathing calm and even.

"Keep your eyes open," he's startled by the stern order, his eyes shooting open, "I want you to _watch_ me touch you."

Biting his lip, he forces himself to keep his eyes open as Terry's hands travel along his body. The caresses are abrasive, rubbing those familiar circles into his flesh. Those rough, calloused lips attach to his neck, the man's teeth nipping at the bruised skin. Edd's breathing grows heavy as his body reacts to the sensual touch. He feels himself growing hard and spots the grin on the man's face as he notices it as well. The sinful fingers massaging his hips and chest are on the move again, making a beeline for the garment obstructing the last of his view of the boy. His hand slips past the lacy waistband to fondle the preteen's arousal. Edd moans, trying to remain as still as possible, but finding it difficult as the pleasure takes him. The man is most pleased by this turn, nipping at his neck. He feels Terry tugging him backwards.

"Bed," the low voice growls into his ear, "_Now._"

The boy whimpers in response as he pulled to the bed, the feminine garments quickly forgotten.

* * *

><p>The group wanders through the trailers, looking for any sign of the van or the trailer from the photo. Ed and Eddy stop, waiting for the others to reconvene. They'd split up to make the search faster, but it seems like the effort was for naught. So far, their search turns up empty. Eddy's beginning to feel the hopelessness creep up his spine again. Panic is setting in. The sun is still high in the sky, but it's beginning its descent. It's well after noon. They have to hurry! The others converge around them, dour looks on their faces.<p>

"Anything?" the shorter boy asks, desperation thick in his tone.

Of course, he knows the answer. He's not sure what made him ask in the first place. They shake their heads, gaze locked on the ground. Eddy digs his fingers into his scalp, trying not to break down.

"_Hey!_"

They're startled by the sudden voice calling out to them. They turn to find a middle-aged woman, cigarette between her fingers, standing in the doorway of the trailer closest to them. Her hair is a shaggy brunette, pulled into a loose ponytail. She's got a suspicious look on her face as she observes the group.

"What are you kids doing out here?" she demands, "I've been here for years. I've never seen any of you before from any of the families around here."

Eddy falters, unable to come up with a good excuse. He's startled when a hand reaches into his pocket.

"Hey!" he snaps, sneering at the culprit as Lee retrieves the photo, "What the heck do yo—"

"_Shh!_ Let us handle this, puddin'," she commands in a hushed tone.

She turns to the woman again and steps forward with her sisters.

"We ain't from around here," Marie explains, "But we're lookin' for someone."

"Yeah," May adds with a snort, "We're _visiting._"

Lee holds up the photograph; "You said you been here a while, right? Well, we're lookin' for the guy who might own this trailer." She lets the woman take the picture to look over it. "Look familiar?"

The resident is quiet for a few minutes as she looks over the photo. Finally, she nods her head.

"Yeah," she answers, handing the photo back "I remember it. Guy came through a few years back and took it away. Said somethin' about wantin' some more privacy or some bullshit, I dunno…Looked a lot like the kid in the picture too."

"Do you know where he might've gone?" Marie demands.

"Eh…" she shrugs, "It was a while ago…but…I think it mighta been somewhere that way."

Their gaze follows the direction she's pointing. It's across the park and in a new direction from where they'd been heading before. Lee turns back to the woman with a grin.

"Thanks, lady," she says as they turn away.

"Why are you kids lookin' for this guy anyway?" the woman asks, stopping them, "I don't remember a lot about him, but he wasn't too pleasant."

"He uh…He's my brother," Eddy explains, "We were gonna surprise him with a visit."

She looks surprised by this, but seems to accept the answer.

"I see," she nods at them, "But that seems like it might be far from here. Do your parents know what you're doin'?"

"T-Totally!" Kevin stutters, "They're all for it. They're around here somewhere, visiting with some friends."

"Y-Yeah," Eddy concurs, "My mom said she and my dad used to live here when my brother was a kid. A-And that he may have moved back after he left home. So when we came to visit…I dunno. I…I figured we could go see my Bro too. I'm sure they won't mind if we go look around for him."

"Well, alright then…" she gives them a warm smile, "You kids be careful, though."

"Oh, we will be," Lee assures her with a sweet smile, ushering her sisters away, "C'mon, boys!"

"Bye nice lady!" Ed waves excitedly as they turn away.

They wave goodbye and offer their thanks before taking their leave. When they're out of earshot, Kevin glances at the Kankers.

"That was easier than I expected…" he notes, "Didn't she find any of that suspicious?"

Marie shrugs, jabbing her thumb in Eddy's direction; "The twerp was right before. Folks do just enough to feel like they've helped, and go on their way. That's how things work back home too. Lookin' out for you and yours and that's it."

Lee nods in agreement, handing Eddy the picture; "Yeah, the neighbors will sometimes help out, but we mostly stay out of other people's business."

"Whatever," Eddy snarls, "The point is, we've got _some_ idea where to go next."

The group shares a nod of agreement as they leave the trailer park. They walk for a short while before entering another wooded area. It's around here that Wilfred stops again. He begins sniffing the ground. The others are startled.

"Ed-boy!" Rolf cries, "Give to Rolf the Brainy Ed-Boy's cap!"

Eddy retrieves Edd's hat and hands it to the son of a shepherd. Wilfred sniffs over the hat before returning his focus to the ground. He then starts tugging on the leash, trying to pull Rolf along.

"Wilfred has found the trail again!" Rolf announces with a cheer.

"All the smells from the trailer park musta been confusing him!" May deduces.

"We're far enough away now," Kevin notes, "I guess he can really focus on Double D's scent again…"

Eddy feels the adrenaline picking up again.

"C'mon," he demands, snatching Edd's hat back from Rolf, "Let's go!"

With Wilfred hot on the trail, the group takes off. The wooded area begins to grow more and more dense. Still, they press on. The sun is slightly obscured by the foliage, but they can still see its bright light. After a little more than an hour, they begin to slow. They stop for a short while to eat. Eddy doesn't protest. He feels that they're close. So close. If that is indeed the case, of course, he knows they'll need their strength. When their bellies are full, they continue. They follow Wilfred along their path for what feels like ages. As the time drags on, Eddy begins to worry that they may be lost again. That maybe he was wrong. That maybe they're not as close as he'd believed. Their eyes search carefully at the scenery around them, desperate to find anything that's out of place.

Eddy stops, eyes wide as something catches his gaze. Amidst the earthy colors of the wood, he can see a pale violet standing out. He starts running, making the rest of the group pick up their pace. The color rests upon rusted metal. The trailer! For comparison, Eddy looks to the photo. The mobile home before him is decrepit, but there's no doubt that it's the one from the photograph. In front of the trailer…He feels a wave of relief wash over him. The van! He glances up at the sky. The daylight is fading ever so slightly, but they made it. They've arrived in time. He wants to cry.

They've won!

He rubs his eyes, and takes a deep, affirming breath. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he opens his mouth wide.

"Bro!"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11 End<strong>

**DuoXKouga: So, just a little heads up for everyone! Battygirl and I will be gone next weekend (Actually Beginning Thursday the 29th to Sunday the 1) ! We will be off to Ohayocon 2015! So, if you happen to be there, Look for The Eddy, Edd and Bro who will be running around! See ya in the next chapter! Bye-Bye! **


	12. An Eddy In Shining Armor

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

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><p><em>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<em>

_Authors' Notes:_

_DuoXKouga: Just to start this chapter off, the reason why this chapter was late was because of me. It's my fault that this chapter was delayed and I would like to apologize to you, the readers, and to Battygirl. I'm so sorry! I promise this won't happen again!_

_Battygirl: So this took longer than I would've liked, but I like it quite a lot. I hope you guys enjoy it as well. Also, please let us know what you think. It's really nice to receive feedback of any kind. Whether ya like it, or ya don't like it,_ _it's just nice to get something._

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: An Eddy In Shining Armor<strong>

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><p>Smoke settles in the air as Terry reclines on the bed. Beside him, the much smaller figure lies motionless, lost in sleep. The man regards the slumbering boy with a smug look. It had been so damn easy to bend this boy to his will; to make Edd completely subservient to him. He's quite convinced the boy will do whatever he asks now. The feeling is exhilarating; to have absolute control over this child.<p>

He grins wickedly as he snuffs out the cigarette on the nightstand before turning to the boy completely. Edd's lying, curled up on his side and facing away from him. His face is calm in his peaceful state. He'd been quite exhausted from their earlier relations and had passed out shortly after reaching the height of orgiastic pleasure. As the man gazes down at the tempting flesh of the boy's back, he's once again overcome with desire. He drags his hand up the boy's side, beginning at his thigh and coming to rest on the frail upper arm. Edd shifts only slightly, but otherwise doesn't wake.

The grin still alight on his face, Terry decides to rouse the boy.

"_Bro!_"

He grimaces. That grating voice had easily pierced the relatively thin walls of the trailer. _How annoying…_He feels movement beside him as Edd stirs. Seems it's even enough to wake the kid. _Dammit…_Edd rolls onto his back, turning towards the man some. He rubs his tired eyes as he arches upward in a languid stretch. Terry licks his lips, grinning as he caresses the boy's side opposite him, making Edd flinch. He looks to the man with those lilting green eyes, a haze of sleep residing there.

"Wh…What's happening…?" Edd mumbles with a yawn.

The man casts a glare over his shoulder, angry at the intrusion of the unwanted guest that's certainly waiting outside. He gives Edd a lustful grin.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," he purrs, cupping Edd's chin.

He leans down to kiss him.

"_Bro!_"

The voice is accompanied by a loud banging this time; fists pounding on the front door. Terry growls a bit, pulling away to glare at the closed bedroom door. Impatient little shit…As the man is turned away, he doesn't see Edd's eyes open wide.

"E…Eddy?" he gasps, rising to sit up.

Hope that had long since gone begins to well in his chest. He looks around for the plaid jacket, spotting it at the end of the bed. Snatching it up, he begins mumbling to himself, drawing the man's attention.

"Eddy…" he breathes, "H-He's here…! He actually came for me." With the jacket on, he pauses. "Oh dear, but how long has it been…? I haven't been able to keep track of the passage of time very effectively, but surely it's been no more than three days — has it?"

He begins mumbling incoherently, trying to calculate how much time had passed. Terry's eyes narrow. Grabbing the boy's shoulder, he shoves him roughly back down onto the mattress. Edd cries out in pain and surprise. When he recovers, he looks up at the man, confused.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" he stutters.

Terry leans over him menacingly; "Don't get any bright ideas, Princess. You ain't goin' nowhere." He nearly presses his forehead against the boy's. "You're _mine._"

Edd can hardly comprehend what he's heard.

"But…B-But before…!" he attempts to reason with him, his voice wavering, "Y-You _said—_"

Before he can complete his plea, Terry sits back and slaps him.

"_Bro!_" Eddy's not letting up his assault on the door or his incessant screaming, "_Let me in! I know you're there!_"

The man ignores him, glaring down at the boy beneath him. Edd's crying, holding his cheek where he'd been struck. Before the boy can protest further, Terry grabs the manacles and shackles Edd's wrist to the bedpost. The boy tugs at the restraint.

"No!" he cries, "Please! No!"

The man's hand wraps around his throat, silencing the boy and halting his movements. He leans in close to his face as Edd cries.

"You're _mine_, dammit!" Terry growls, "And if that little shit thinks he's leaving here with you, he's got another _fucking_ thing coming!"

With that, he releases the boy's neck and rises from the bed. Edd offers him little, whimpering pleas, begging him to reconsider. Terry ignores him as he pulls on his clothes. All that's missing is the plaid jacket. He glances at Edd, considering taking it from him. As the boy cowers and sobs on the bed, he decides to leave it. Seeing the kid wearing it, looking so defeated and scared; it's too beautiful a sight to take away what is now marking Edd as his. He storms to the boy's side, gripping Edd's chin and forcing the child to look at him.

"You belong to _me_," he snarls. Edd doesn't respond. He squeezes Edd's chin between his fingers, gritting his teeth. "Say it, dammit!"

Edd releases heavy sobs; "Y-Yes! I-I'm yours!"

He leans over him, ensnaring him in a rough, possessive kiss. The boy wails against the man's lips, but the sound instead result in something more akin to a moan.

"_Bro! Get out here!_"

The screaming is becoming so much more annoying to the man as a more fervent pounding reaches his ears. There are more fists attacking his door than just Eddy's. Terry pulls away, standing straight. Before turning away, he reaches into the nightstand and withdraws a switchblade. Edd's eyes are wide.

"N-No!" he cries, "Please! Y-You're not gonna use that on…o-on _Eddy_ are you?!" He receives no answer, just a glance before the man continues for the door, pocketing the knife. "P-Please! No! L-Let me go! Don't do this! Please!"

His pleas go unheeded as the man exits the room. Edd breaks down sobbing, tugging at the chains in a futile attempt to free himself.

Meanwhile, Terry stalks through the trailer. His hands are curled into fists, clutching the key to the manacles tightly. He approaches the door, popping his neck. He can still hear the fists against the door and Eddy screaming. Grimacing, he gives the wood a rough kick. It's enough to startle the kids on the other side to make them back away. With a snide look, he pockets the key before opening the door and stepping out.

"Hey there, Pipsqueak," he sneers, "What took ya so long?"

He descends the rickety stairs of the trailer, each step making an eerie creak and each kid cringing at the sound. Kevin moves closer to Rolf, who clenches his fists in preparation. The Kanker's fingers too curl into tightly clenched fists as Terry scoffs at the small group of preteens. A part of him is slightly impressed, but he's mostly irritated that they had actually found this place. His attention finally falls on his little brother. Eddy is glaring up at him with such hate that Terry actually chortles at the sight. He shoves his hands into his pockets before taking a step closer to the group, who move back slightly in fear.

Eddy grits his teeth as he steps forward towards his brother, his hands clenched even tighter.

"Fuck that small talk bullshit, Terry!" he snarls, his nails digging into the palm of his hands, "Where's Double D! We won your stupid game, now give 'im back!"

There's a thick tension in the air as Terry stares down the group before him. His eyes are narrowed and there's the edge of a frown starting to form on his face. Bringing a hand up, he strokes his goatee thoughtfully as he debates his brother's demand. However, his mind is already made up.

And he won't be changing it.

"Mm, nah, I don't think I will," the man finally replies after a few minutes of silence.

"What?!" Eddy gawks.

The man shrugs, grinning deviously; "Yeah, I think I'll keep my little Princess for a while longer."

Eddy feels his blood boil at the name his brother would dare use for Edd.

"That's _bullshit_, Bro!" he snaps, "You _said_ if we beat that joke of a game of yours, we could get Double D back!"

The man scoffs; "Damn, you didn't learn shit from me about scamming, did you?"

"Scam?!" Eddy echoes, "This wasn't a 'scam'! You didn't get any cash outta this!"

Terry shrugs again, inspecting his nails nonchalantly.

"Maybe not…" he admits. He casts the boy a dark grin, "But I _did_ get your little girlfriend's virginity out of it. And plenty of sex after that first time."

Eddy sees red, blacking out momentarily in a blind fury as he lets out a loud, angry cry. He lunges at his brother, his fist swiping madly at the man's stomach. To his dismay, however, Terry is much quicker than what he'd expected. His brother's fist connects with Eddy's cheek, sending the preteen to the ground. Terry takes another step toward them, cracking his knuckles as he sneers down at his little brother. There's no way he's going to give up his princess after finally breaking the kid in.

"Eddy!" cries the larger Ed as he rushes to his friend's side.

He winces upon seeing the the dark mark forming on the shorter boy's face.

"I'm fine, Ed," Eddy growls, spitting some blood out of his mouth as he glares up at the adult before him. He _has_ to get Edd back from him; his friend needs him.

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><p>Meanwhile, Edd remains trapped in the bedroom. His sobs have dwindled some as he tries to determine a way to free himself. Despite his efforts, the manacles remain firm. He can hear some of the conversation outside; bits and pieces of what is being said. Terry's words penetrate him like a knife.<p>

"_I think I'll keep my little Princess for a while longer._"

"_I did get your little girlfriend's virginity out of it. And plenty of sex after that first time._"

Edd's eyes are wide. No…No he hadn't heard that. Terry hadn't actually…_said_ that to Eddy…had he? He feels an overwhelming nausea come over him. For Eddy to now _know_ about what the man had done to him…The tears come again, running hot down his cheeks. He hears the start of a scuffle outside, Eddy screaming incoherently. He hadn't misheard. Defeated, he curls up on his side. Soft sobs escape him as he resigns himself to his wretched fate. Truly, he would never leave this place. Eddy stood no chance before of taking on his brother. After everything he must have been through the past few days, he certainly won't be capable of it now.

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><p>Back outside, the skirmish is on. Eddy grunts as he rises to his feet, casting his brother his most hateful look before rushing at him again. Terry smirks, watching his little brother in sadistic amusement before effortlessly stopping the boy in his tracks. He brings his knee up into Eddy's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. It takes little else to throw the teen backwards and straight into Kevin. The jock releases a sharp gasp before the shorter boy collides with him. They roll a few feet before coming to rest on the ground, groaning softly as they try to regain their composure. Both Rolf and Ed turn to where their friends have fallen before returning their attention to Terry who is watching them expectantly.<p>

"How long do you little ankle-biters think you can keep this up?" he taunts, "Why don't you all run on home to yer mommies and daddies and leave Princess to me."

Incensed, Rolf puffs his chest up as he steps toward the menace before them. Ed follows behind him, the look on his face reminding the boys of the day he had that pebble in his shoe. Lee has also begun to move towards the man, her fists clenched in rage as she stomps her way closer in hopes of avenging Eddy. Her sisters follow close behind her.

"You shall not triumph over this son of a shepherd!" Rolf declares as he rushes at Terry.

The man scoffs as prepares himself. He's shocked, however, as Rolf manages to shove him back with little effort. Gritting his teeth, Terry pushes back against the teen; their strength almost matched, but not quite. Losing patience, he slams his head forward, head-butting Rolf square in the face. The shock makes Rolf loosen his grip and gives Terry the opportunity to knee him in the stomach. Rolf isn't prepared for the fist that sends him face down into the dirt.

Ed watches for a moment, too stunned to react. However, he recovers quickly, his shoulders stiffening and his eyebrow creasing in anger. His eyes narrow and he makes a mad run at the man. Grabbing Terry's shirt, he shakes him roughly. This man had hurt Eddy. This man had hurt Double D! This man had _hurt his friends!_ Terry is unfazed by this and chuckles as he backhands Ed hard across the face. The blow knocks Ed into the recovering Rolf, who releases a pained grunt as they land on the unforgiving ground. May lets out a loud cry as she watches her 'boyfriend' struggle to rise back to his feet.

"Ed!" she cries before glaring at Terry, "You big bully! I'll teach you to hurt my man!"

Terry glances over at the three girls who all charge him at once. He smirks as he simply steps to the side, which sends May stumbling past him. Reaching out, he grabs hold of the long, blonde locks and gives them a hard yank. May squeals in pain as she tries to pull her hair free.

"Is this the _best_ you can do?!" Terry demands with a mocking laugh.

May gasps as the man roughly shoves her forward into Marie, who stumbles back holding her sister. Lee glares at him gritting her teeth.

"Not even close!" she growls, "I'll show you what we can do!"

With that, she lunges at him. It proves fruitless, however, as he smoothly grabs her by the throat, holding her at bay for a moment.

"Pathetic," he sneers before throwing her at her sisters.

By the time Kevin finally stands, Rolf and Ed have risen to their feet and are swinging punches at Terry. Rolf manages to land a punch to Terry's cheek, releasing a victorious cry before taking a hard punch to the stomach. He falls back onto the ground clutching his middle. Ed does his best to hold his own against the man, but fails as he too is sent to the ground. While his friends provide an effective distraction, Eddy takes the opportunity to sneak past his brother and into the trailer.

He closes the door behind him before walking through the run-down abode. He doesn't recognize anything from this place, but he can see his brother's influence in every nook and cranny. No care had been placed into the decrepit hovel in years. He had assumed after finding the photograph that the place had once belonged to his parents, but, after moving, the keys would have been passed along to someone else. He finds himself wondering how long it had been before Terry had reclaimed it from the previous owner. The walls are barren, he notes. No pictures. No decor. Just bland, tearing wallpaper. There are mysterious stains all about. Eddy can name some of them. Spilled beer, water damage from leaks in the roofing, blood.

Eddy tenses up as he considers the blood to have come from his friend and remembers the reason he's here. He catches sight of a telephone by the refrigerator. Eyes wide, he rushes over and grabs it, bringing it to his ear. Gritting his teeth, he curses under his breath. No dial tone. Throwing the phone aside, he glances around. There's nothing else here for him to see. Pushing past the grime and coldness of the kitchen, he makes his way to the hallway. He has no idea where he's going. He lets his instincts guide him.

He passes a bathroom. There's more blood on the tiles. Eddy fights the bile that's rising in his throat. No doubt about it; that's Edd's. As long as he can remember, Terry has always been ruthless and violent. Eddy feels confident that Edd must have said or done something to irritate his brother. Worse yet; it probably wasn't much.

Soft sobbing halts his steps. Edd is crying. His heart wrenches at that. The memories of Edd's tears and sobs had fueled his nightmares, disrupting what little sleep he had gotten over the past couple of days. It hurts so much more to hear them now. It means Edd is in pain. And, like before with those pranks he and Ed had pulled, it's his fault.

Taking a deep breath, he approaches the door at the end of the hallway. The crying is louder. Edd is inside. He's sure of it. His hand touches the doorknob and he hesitates. What is he waiting for? His brother is outside, dealing with his friends. The man won't be waiting behind the door to strike him.

Of course, that isn't what Eddy's afraid of. He has no idea what to expect when he sees Edd. He worries what he'll say. What _can_ he say? He wants to make light of it, to greet Edd as playfully as he can. Return to normalcy. He can't do that. This situation isn't one he can make light of. He'll have to approach this seriously but gently.

With that in mind, he opens the door. The room is dark, save for the limited light that's peaking through the thick cloth covering the window and a small, blinking lamp by the bed. Eddy's nose crinkles at the pungent odor in the room. He can detect the smell of alcohol from a few bottles and cans of beer that littered the floor near the walls, mixed with something he can't describe. The sheets over the mattress are a mess, strewn about and pulled out to pool on the floor. Eddy feels his heart sink into his stomach as he notes the small, shaking figure laying upon the bed. Edd is curled up on his side and has his back to him. His brother's red, plaid jacket is all that's covering the boy.

Eddy fights back another bout of vomit at the image.

"Double D?" Eddy murmurs, loud enough for Edd to hear him, but soft enough so he doesn't startle him.

Edd gasps softly and curls in tighter on himself.

"Stay back!" comes the weak and whimpering response.

"Double D, it's okay," Eddy says soothingly, closing the door behind him, "It's me, Eddy."

He approaches Edd slowly.

"Please!" Edd begs, "C-Come no further! I-I don't want you to see…"

Eddy pouts a bit as he rounds the corner of the bed where Edd lays, cowering.

"It's okay," Eddy repeats, "I'm gonna get you out of here."

Finally, Edd looks at him. Eddy is startled for a moment. Edd's eyes are bloodshot and laden with heavy bags. It looks to Eddy as though the boy hadn't slept in days. His lip is split and several places on his face are bruised and red. As Edd sits up slightly, Eddy can see marks all over his friend. Harsh bruises in the shapes of his brother's hands, fingers, and teeth cover Edd's neck and sides, set in sharp contrast against the soft, pale skin.

Edd catches Eddy staring and clutches the fabric of the jacket tightly over him.

"Cease your ogling!" Edd cries shrilly, tears falling freely from his eyes, "Is this all you've come for?! To appraise your brother's handiwork?! Cast your judging eyes away from me!"

Eddy's eyes widen as Edd breaks down into incomprehensible sobs. He takes a few deep, calming breaths before closing the distance between himself and Edd. The boy is sitting up now, one hand trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. Eddy catches Edd's face in his hands. Perhaps not the smartest move; Edd begins thrashing.

"Don't _touch_ me!" he cries, grabbing at Eddy's hands with his left, "Take your hands _off_ me!"

"Double D, calm down!" Eddy hisses, "I'm not gonna hurt you!"

Edd's too lost in his own frantic flailing.

"Release me!" he cries, "I insist you take your hands off—"

"Edd!" Eddy speaks clearly and sternly.

Edd stops his struggling, eyes wide. His name…It sounds so foreign; he hasn't heard it in days. And it's so rare for Eddy to call him by his name. Since they'd met, it's always been 'Double D', or 'Sockhead'. So rarely 'Edd'. He catches Eddy's gaze and holds it. He can't recall seeing Eddy so serious before.

"It's okay," Eddy says again, holding Edd's face in gentle hands, "I'm here to help you. I'm gonna get you out of here and away from…" He grimaces a bit and tries to regain his composure. "From _him._"

Edd's lip trembles and tears well in his eyes. Truly; the most beautiful words he's heard since his capture. His heart hurts with regret. He'd spoken so coldly to Eddy just now. And here his dear friend stands; trying to save him from his pain. The feelings he had finally begun to understand bubble up inside of Edd's chest.

Eddy had come for him.

He knows Ed is nearby — possibly outside; waiting for Eddy to return with their friend — but he's never felt happier to see his smaller companion alone. Eddy is gazing at him with his soft, blue eyes, full of concern and — dare he say? — affection. Edd's emotions overwhelm him as he leans forward, pressing his lips to Eddy's.

The shortest Ed is surprised. He hadn't been expecting Edd to be so forward like this. After a moment, the shock passes. His own feelings begin to manifest. Eddy leans into the kiss, moaning softly as he moves his hands toward the back of Edd's head, pulling him closer. Edd returns the wanton moans, keening against Eddy's chapped lips. It isn't like their first kiss together, when Kevin had so callously blackmailed Eddy into the act to humiliate him. That had been rushed and crude. This, by contrast, is slow and soft. His hand finds purchase on Eddy's shoulder. It's the most tender contact Edd's had in days.

After what feels like ages, Eddy pulls away again. His hands remain on Edd's face. Tears are still falling down Edd's cheeks. He's still crying?

"Aw man…" Eddy breathes, worried he had somehow made a mistake in returning the kiss, "Edd, I…I'm sorry. I…I-I didn't mean to—"

Edd buries his face in Eddy's chest, clutching the fabric there.

"W-Would you still want me?" he sobs, "Would you still want me, even though…e-even though I'm…u-used…? Little else than…than a toy? Broken by your brother?"

Eddy's startled by that. Is that what Edd thought? He brings his arms up to embrace Edd tightly.

"What are you, crazy?" he forces a laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. He pauses, the false smile fading as he rubs Edd's back. "You're not a toy, Edd. And you're not used. Not to me."

Edd sobs again, leaning into Eddy's arms, feeling safer than he ever had in his life. For a moment, Eddy allows his eyes to wander over his friend, vaguely assessing the situation. He finally notices something he'd overlooked when he'd first entered the room. Edd's right hand is shackled to the bed. Eddy grimaces and glances at the bedside table. He immediately averts his gaze again. Nothing there but an open bottle of personal lubricant. No keys to unlock the handcuffs.

He has a sickening feeling he knows where they are.

Pulling Edd away from him again, he holds him steady; "Wait here, Edd. I'll be right back."

Edd's eyes widen and he grabs hold of Eddy's hand; "N-No! Please! Don't leave me here alone!"

Eddy leans in to place a soft kiss to Edd's lips, silencing him; "Relax, Sockhead. I'll be right back. I need to go find the keys so I can get these handcuffs off. Then I'll come right back." He looks over Edd's face, eyes catching the scar near Edd's hairline. He reaches into his back pocket and retrieves a black cloth; Edd's hat, "I promise, Double D. I won't leave you. We're gonna get you out of here and take you home."

Eddy places the hat back onto Edd's head. The boy feels relief wash over him with the return of his head-wear. The anxiety returns, however when Eddy moves to leave again. His grip on Eddy's hand tightens. He doesn't want his friend to leave his side. Not when Terry is still around. Not when he could return at any moment to punish him for his 'disloyalty'. Eddy pries his hand free and turns away. Edd desperately reaches after him.

"Eddy, no!" he begs, "_Please!_ Don't leave me alone again! Wh-What if Terry—"

"We're taking care of him," Eddy cuts him off, "He's not going to touch you ever again. I won't let him. I'm not gonna let you go again, Edd. I'll be back."

Edd feels his heart flutter in his chest and he calms as Eddy exits the room again. Yes, Eddy will protect him. Now that his friends are here, he can rest easy.

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><p>Outside, the others are fairing poorly against the adult, who's not holding back in the least. The Kankers, Ed, and Rolf all find themselves on the ground, groaning in pain from their recent attempts to take the man down. Once again, this leaves Kevin as the odd-man out, but the boy refuses to take part, his entire body quaking in fear. His eyes widen as Terry turns his attention towards him. The others are incapacitated at the moment and, as far as the man is concerned, the jock is all who remains. Terry smirks in the preteen's direction, delighting in the discomfort on the teen's face.<p>

"Well well…aren't you the little coward?" he taunts, wagging his finger at the boy. He catches the boy flinching as if he'd been struck. "Oho, did I strike a nerve?" Kevin shakes, unable to respond, so the man continues. "Your little friends are fighting so damn hard to take my Princess from me while you're just standing around doing nothing?"

"Sh-Shut up!" comes the weak response.

Terry chortles at the weak tone, looking the boy over carefully.

"Maybe you'd rather join him?" he suggests coolly.

Kevin freezes as Terry licks his lips, jerking his thumb back at the trailer. He closes his eyes trying to ignore the fear that is gripping his chest like a vice. It only proves to egg the man on. Terry can see that his words are affecting the preteen and he finds it very amusing. It's for this reason that he continues. The boy is attractive, but he's far from genuinely interested; the jock can't compare to his delicate little princess.

"Hmm…I wonder if you're a screamer like my princess," he purrs.

"Stop it!" Kevin cries, covering his ears in an attempt to shut him out.

"Didn't take much to get my little princess to spread his legs for me," Terry adds, "I wonder how long it'd take for you."

"You're sick, man!" Kevin shouts at the man, his voice cracking in fear as he tries to swallow the lump in his throat. He's feeling very uncomfortable, but he tries to force bravery. "L-Look! J-Just give us our friend back a-and maybe you'll be able to walk away when we get done with you!"

Terry cocks his brow as he stares at the boy before bursting into laughter. Kevin's eyes widen as he recoils in shock. The man is…laughing?

The man grins maliciously at him; "Is that so?" He chuckles. "You'll be lucky to see the next grade, kid."

Terry takes a step towards Kevin menacingly. He doesn't make it far, though, as Rolf comes up behind him and jumps onto his back.

"You will fight _me!_" Rolf cries as he struggles to keep his grip on Terry, who becomes enraged.

Rolf lets out a cry as he's flipped over before a large hand encloses around his neck. Terry is glaring down at the boy beneath him, feeling little as he seeks to choke the life from the son of a shepherd. Kevin gasps in horror, watching his friend struggle against the man.

Eddy finally returns to the door of the trailer. His eyes widen at the sight before him.

"Back off him, Bro!" he cries.

Hearing his brother behind him is enough to draw the man's attention. A crazed look overtakes his expression as fury takes him. He throws Rolf back onto the ground, knocking the boy's head on the hard ground before turning to Eddy fully.

"The fuck do you think you're doing, Pipsqueak?" he demands coldly.

Eddy ignores him as he turns his attention to the others.

"Guys!" he cries pleadingly, "He's got a key I need to find! Ya gotta help me find it!"

"You little _shit!_" the man cries, fingers curling as though itching to wrap around the boy's neck, "I'll teach you to go near what's _mine!_"

As the man lunges for his brother, Eddy tries to dart around him. He's not fast enough, though, and Terry's large hands wrap around the boy's neck. Eddy struggles against the man's grip, kicking wildly and scratching at Terry's hands. It does no good. He squeezes his eyes shut tight, trying to urge his friends to help him, but barely able to make a sound. Ed, of course, is on his feet in seconds, rushing the man.

"Let go of Eddy!" he cries desperately.

His attempts are futile, though. Terry removes one hand from Eddy's neck and elbows the boy away. His focus, however, remains on punishing his brother. Rolf and the Kankers rally around him, but are fended off with little effort. In his rage, there's nothing that seems to stun the man. Kevin shakes where he stands. He looks for something — _anything_ — that can help. On the ground near him is an old tire iron. The Eds' cries urge him on. Biting his lip, he musters all of his strength and courage as he rushes forward. He snatches up the tire iron, making a mad dash for the man. Terry's distraction proves fruitful for the boy as Kevin puts all of his weight into his swing.

The metal comes in contact with the back of Terry's head, stunning him for a moment and making him release Eddy. The shortest boy coughs violently, holding his bruising neck as Ed pulls him out from under his brother to safety. The tire iron is dented and there's a bit of blood that had been drawn from the strike. Unfortunately, it's not quite enough to have knocked the man out, but he does fall to his knees, clutching the back of his head as he tries to recover from the hit. When he's on the ground, Kevin raises the tire iron again before bringing it back down to hit him again. This time, the force is enough to knock him unconscious. Finally, he collapses to the ground.

Eddy pants heavily as he stares at his brother. He doesn't move for several minutes. He's out. Without hesitating any more, Eddy pushes past Ed and starts searching through Terry's pockets. To his horror, he finds a switchblade, which he decides to pocket for safety. Afterwards, he retrieves a small key with the same basic shape he remembers from the manacles. He wastes no more time before stumbling to his feet and racing back into the trailer.

"Make sure he stays down!" he calls back, "And wait here!"

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><p><strong>End Of Chapter 12<strong>

_**DuoXKouga: Leave a review and we'll see you all in the next chapter! Bye-Bye!**_


	13. A Bro And His Edd Are Soon Parted

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

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><p><em>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<em>

_Authors' Notes:_

_DuoXKouga: I only put some input into this. Battygirl did this entire chapter herself._

_Battygirl: Kay so, this one's been mostly done for a few weeks, but I've had a helluva lot of school work to deal with so…Couldn't really finish right away. But I consider this a bit quicker than usual so…there's that?_

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: A Bro And His Edd Are Soon Parted<strong>

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><p>When Eddy finally returns to the room, Edd is sitting up uncomfortably. He's gripping the jacket tightly around himself; trying to remain covered, but loathing the manner of dress. Eddy rushes to his side, key in hand. Edd smiles gratefully as his wrist is freed from the binding. His arms are thrown around Eddy and he buries his face in his friend's shoulder. Eddy gives him a moment to relish his freedom before pushing him away again, holding him at bay.<p>

"C'mon, Sockhead," he says with a grin, "Let's get you home."

Edd nods happily and lets Eddy take his hand. They walk down the hallway. As they near the bathroom, Edd slows in his movements. He stops in front of the door. Eddy turns to him to demand he keep moving, but stops before the words can form. Edd is gazing longingly at the shower. A sigh rips itself from Eddy's chest.

Of course. Edd _would_ want to wash after everything he'd been through, not to mention his friend's obsession with cleanliness. With a shrug, Eddy admits to himself that he really should've seen this coming. He squeezes Edd's hand, drawing the boy to look at him.

"I'll stand watch over the door…" he suggests, tilting his head to the bathroom, "I know you probably wanna…"

He doesn't have to finish. Edd releases his hand and makes a mad dash into the bathroom, the door closing swiftly behind him. A nostalgic grin finds its way to Eddy's face. It's a glimpse of the Edd he'd grown to know so well over the years.

The water starts running shortly after and Eddy takes a seat against the door. It may not be the wisest move; they should really be leaving as soon as they can. However, Eddy believes that Edd shouldn't take too long. He has a feeling that Terry should be out for a while as well. The way he sees it, Edd deserves a moment of reprieve to do something that gives him peace. For a moment, he _does_ consider making a quick trip outside; to inform the others that Edd will be finished soon and then they could leave.

He doesn't move from his post.

He'd assured Edd that he would stand watch and he will. No one will get past this door. He won't allow it.

For the first minute or so, he just listens to the water. It's relaxing. He assumes that being _under_ the water must be nice too. He and the others hadn't stopped to bathe during this excursion – a fact he would be sure to keep from his hygienic companion. A bath would feel pretty good right now.

Soft sobbing broke his reverie. He winces as it occurs to him; Edd's crying again. Eddy grimaces. Yes, this mess is his fault, but he feels safe in blaming his brother for Edd's tears now. He's certain that Edd's crying is over his lost innocence, something so callously taken from him. Eddy leans his head against the door. He can't block out Edd's weeping. Wracking his brain, he tries to think of what he can say or do to make this right.

Nothing comes to mind.

There's nothing that can be said or done. But it's a good a time as any to talk to Edd privately; to apologize. The water stops running. It's now or never.

"Edd…" he says in a wavering tone.

Silence from the other side of the door. Eddy wonders for a moment if Edd heard him. He opens his mouth to speak.

"_Yes, Eddy?_" comes the weak reply; Edd's trying to compose himself to speak clearly.

Eddy cringes at the tears that were heavy in Edd's voice. He feels tears burning in his own eyes as well.

"I…" he hesitates, gulping down the lump in his throat, "I'm sorry…Edd."

Another silence. He lets it sink in for a moment, using the pause to think over his next words carefully. Edd speaks before he can.

"_For what?_"

He's startled by that. _For what?!_

"The hell – for everything, Sockhead!" Eddy tries not to let himself get worked up, but Edd's question lights a fire in him, "Jeez…How do you not know? Everything that's happened…It's my fault…"

"_Eddy…_" Edd attempts in a whimpering voice.

"_Everything_!" The tears have worked themselves loose and are falling freely down Eddy's cheeks. "It's all my fault! I'm the _idiot_ who ruined the scam. I'm the one who came up with the _stupid_ idea to go to my brother for help. I'm the _crappy_ friend who wanted to scare you and prank you everywhere we went and made you cry. I'm the worthless _nothing_ who couldn't be bothered to stop his sick, _fucking_ brother from taking you away." He starts hitting himself in the head, repeating the words he'd cried in the swamp. "Foul-up. Wannabe. Loser." Eddy viciously rubs at his eyes, sobbing; "It's all my fault you're here. I'm sorry, Double D. If I wasn't such a fuck-up, I could've –"

With a cry, Eddy falls back as the door is pulled open, his back and head hitting the tiles of the bathroom. He looks up at Edd, wrapped up in a towel and hair still dripping wet. His hat is lying discarded somewhere on the floor. He's looking at Eddy with wide eyes. Sitting up, Eddy tries not to look at him out of respect. Edd throws himself at him, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders and face buried in the back of his neck.

"Stop it…" Edd pleads.

Eddy glances down and sees the bruises on Edd's arms. He shuts his eyes, trying not to think of the multitude of markings covering his friend and just how they got there. Edd sobs against his back.

"Please, stop…" Edd begs, "I don't blame you."

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you, Double D?!" Eddy demands, rubbing his eyes again as the tears continue their relentless onslaught, "It's my faul –"

"I don't _care_ what you say!" Edd cries back, silencing him. The boy starts to crumble, his hold on Eddy weakening as he whimpers, "You never would have wanted this…You never would have allowed these atrocities. If you did…you wouldn't…" Eddy turns to Edd when the boy's grip releases altogether, finding Edd crying into his hands as he sits up on his knees. "Y-You wouldn't have come after me!"

Eddy sits in stunned silence as Edd tries desperately to compose himself.

"You wouldn't have come to save me," he blubbers, "You…You'd have left me to whatever…h-horrible fate Terry had in store for me." He forces himself to look at Eddy, "But you didn't. You came for me to save me from him."

Eddy looks over the marks on Edd's skin, mumbling under his breath; "Too late, though…"

"It doesn't matter!" Edd snaps back, "You still came for me. You _wanted_ to save me. How can I blame you when you came after me?!"

Eddy raises his eyes to meet Edd's and sighs before turning away; "Cuz it's still my fault." He crosses his arms over his chest as he pouts. "If not for me, you wouldn't have _needed_ saving."

As Eddy hunches his shoulders, moping, Edd begins to shake. From anger or sadness, he's not sure anymore. His eyes fall to the tiles. Breathing shakily, he speaks carefully.

"It…It helped…" he murmurs, fidgeting shyly with his hands, "Whenever Terry touched me…I…I would think of you." A fierce blush finds its way to Eddy's cheeks, but Edd doesn't notice, too lost in his own embarrassment. "Whenever he would v–…violate me…I thought of you. I thought of your voice and…and your face. I did all I could to think of our times together so…so I could mentally escape what he was doing to me."

He pauses, thinking hard about what to say next and biting his lip anxiously.

"You know…" he swallows the lump in his throat, "Back when we fought…_before_ we stumbled upon your brother's dwelling, I…I regret to admit that I had believed that night that…that you had never truly liked me – that you only ever used me for your own…selfish needs. And that you only ever saw me as another helpless sap you could cheat, swindle, and lie to…to get what you want.

"But when you cried…" Edd begins to curl in on himself. "When you cried and admitted your fault, I…I saw a side of you that you had never shown…even to Ed or I. I'd never seen you more vulnerable. At least not before now…" He raises his eyes to Eddy again to find the other boy looking at him in surprise. "I blamed you then, because I was blinded by fury and…betrayal. But I can't blame you now. This isn't your fault, Eddy. This is no one's fault but…but Terry's."

Eddy takes a moment to absorb this, but isn't ready to believe any of it.

"I led us to him…" he argues.

"Not so your brother would use me for his own sick, sexual desires!" Edd spits back. He stops himself and takes a few deep, calming breaths. "Your intentions, though misguided, were always good." He looks into Eddy's eyes. "I don't blame you. Please, cease blaming yourself and wallowing in your self-pity."

Eddy searches Edd's eyes for any sign of uncertainty, betrayal. He finds nothing but resolve. Breathing deeply, he shyly rubs the back of his head.

"Alright…" he breathes, relenting, "You win, Edd. I'll stop."

A smile lights Edd's face, warming Eddy some. He feels like he should question some of the things Edd told him, but decides that it's a conversation best left for another time. Right now, they need to return their focus to escape. He's sure the others are growing impatient and he doesn't want to push their luck much farther with how long Terry will remain unconscious.

"Are you about done in here?" he asks, hoping he doesn't sound too demanding, "Where are your clothes?"

The smile disappears and Edd holds the towel tightly around himself as he glances at the discarded plaid jacket.

"T-Terry…" he mumbles.

Eddy grimaces, realizing his brother must have taken them and thrown them away somehow. He doubts they would find them any time soon. He rises carefully to his feet.

"I'm gonna go get Ed," he informs his friend, "We'll figure out something for you to wear."

Edd keeps his eyes on the jacket fearfully, as though he believes Terry's arm would come through the sleeve and grab him. Eddy follows his gaze and touches his cheek, drawing Edd to look at him.

"If I can help it, you're not wearing _that_ anymore," he grumbles, "Wait here."

He steps out of the bathroom and closes the door behind him. Quickly, he makes his way outside. The Kankers are huddled together. Marie is fuming and Lee and May are doing their best to calm her. It doesn't seem to be doing much good. Rolf is standing away from the scene with Kevin, trying to comfort him by the looks of it.

Kevin is shaking, the tire iron still in his hands as he stands, reflecting on what he's done in shock. _He'd_ been the one to deliver the blow that had knocked Terry out – _him!_ – and the evidence is on his face and in the bent tire iron. The boy is visibly shaken by his actions. Never before had he caused such damage to a person, let alone an adult. His own strength had frightened him; he'd hit the man hard enough to draw blood and render him unconscious. It's understandable that he's suffering from an inner crisis of sorts.

As Eddy looks to his brother, he still doesn't trust him, even with the man knocked out cold. He can see that Terry is still breathing, so he knows he's still alive. He's not so sure anymore if that's necessarily a good thing. Of course, he doesn't want his brother dead; they _are_ family after all. However, it means that the man could recover any moment and ruin their escape.

Finally, his eyes settle on Ed. He's standing over Terry, hitting him in the back of the head with some board he'd come across and screaming angrily at him.

"And _this_ is for taking my Double D away!" he cries, swinging the board with each 'this', "And _this_ is for hurting him and Eddy! And _this_ is –"

"Ed!" Eddy's voice startles the lot of them and their attention snaps to him as he stands in the doorway.

Marie glares at him and pushes past her sisters.

"Where's my boyfriend!" she shrieks, "What the heck is taking you so long?! Didn't you find him inside?! Why haven't you brought him out yet?!"

Eddy ignores her as Ed rushes over to him.

"Where's Double D?!" the tallest Ed asks, whimpering, "Why isn't he with you?! Is he hurt?!"

"Relax, Ed," Eddy speaks a bit more calmly, "Double D's fine. But I need you to follow me for a sec."

"Hey!" Marie cries in a demanding tone, "Are you deaf, shrimpy?! I _said_ where's my –"

"Shut up, Marie!" Eddy snaps back, "We're taking care of it! You just wait out here, got it?!"

"No way!" Lee and May grab Marie's arms as she tries to approach Eddy threateningly, "I came here to save my Pumpkin! I wanna _see_ him!"

"Then wait here while me and Ed go _get_ him!" Eddy snarls back, "If you can't figure out by now why we can't rush him, that's your own damn problem! Now wait here and keep an eye on my brother!"

Without waiting for her rebuttal, he drags Ed inside the trailer. Ed follows apprehensively, scared of what he'll see when they come across Edd. They approach the bathroom and Eddy holds out an arm to stop Ed before knocking gently on the door.

"Dee?" Eddy calls softly, "It's Eddy. I got Ed here too. Can we come in?"

The taller boy wrings his shirt between his fingers in anticipation as they wait for a response.

"_C-Come on in, Eddy…_" came the unsteady reply.

Ed feels himself bouncing in place as Eddy opens the door. Edd is sitting on the closed lid of the toilet seat, wrapped in a towel. He'd dried himself off while waiting for Eddy, but his hair is still slightly damp under his hat. When Ed appears behind Eddy, the bruised and battered boy casts them a sweet smile.

"Ed…" he breathes gratefully.

Ed can't wait any longer.

"Double D!" he cries, pushing past Eddy as he barges into the bathroom, big tears in his eyes.

He grabs Edd and pulls him up into a crushing hug, sobbing. At the sound of Edd's whimpers of pain and the feeling of his weary friend in his arms, Ed's grip eases. He holds him for a few moments, crying happily.

"D-Double D!" he blubbers, "I was so scared you were lost for good! I missed you _so much_, mister! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Eddy rolls his eyes at Ed's clinging. The taller boy had always been overly affectionate with them both.

"Hey, Lumpy," Eddy breaks through Ed's sobs, "In case you didn't notice, we got a bit of a problem here."

Ed glances to him; "What's that, Eddy?"

"Gee, I dunno Ed," Eddy grumbles as he glances around the bathroom, spotting the medicine cabinet, "Maybe the fact that Double D is naked?"

Ed looks to his shivering companion, startled. He'd been so preoccupied just seeing his beloved friend in one piece that he'd overlooked the lack of clothing on the boy.

"Where's your clothes, Double D?" Ed asks obliviously.

"Don't worry about it, Ed," Eddy replies quickly, rummaging through the cabinet above the sink, "We gotta find something else for him to wear."

Without pause, Ed removes his jacket, throwing it over Edd's shoulders.

"There ya go, Double D!" he cries happily.

Edd shudders, feeling the need to wash once more as he stands under Ed's filthy jacket. He forces a smile, though.

"Um…th-thank you, Ed," he stutters, "That's very sweet of you, but I'm not sure if I'll be properly…'covered' like this…"

"Don't worry Double D!" Ed cries, turning around and kneeling on one knee, "I'll carry you on my back!"

Edd's face flushes a deep crimson and he holds the jacket over himself more tightly. Ed had carried him like that once or twice before, but he'd always worn underwear and pants in those times. Now there would be little barrier between his naked body and Ed. It occurs to him that there _is_ something he could wear back in the bedroom, but he doesn't _dare_ mention it to Ed or Eddy. He can't bear to let them discover _those_ garments…However, it seems he's quickly running out of options…

Eddy grabs a bottle of medicine from one of the shelves and glances at Edd carefully.

"Ed," he says sternly, "Hold on a minute, will ya?" He steps over to Edd, the pills in hand, "You think you can take these, Double D?"

Glad for the distraction, Edd looks over the label on the side of the bottle. It's a prescription for Vicodin. Edd had read about the drug in pamphlets while assisting the school nurse. It's used to relieve moderate to moderately severe pain, though Edd doubts Terry has it for anything less than a cheap high. The prescription isn't even under the man's name. The recommended dosage on the bottle suggests one or two tablets every four to six hours as needed. Edd feels apprehensive, assuming that the recommended dose is most likely for adults.

"I'm not sure about this, Eddy…" he mumbles, rubbing his aching throat.

He's still terribly sore from everything Terry had made him do and from screaming as much as he had. Even if he can feel secure with taking this medicine, he questions whether he would be capable of swallowing it or not. Eddy reads the label over his shoulder, spotting what he assumes is giving Edd the uncertainty.

"'Keep out of reach of children'?" he grumbles, "C'mon…Don't most medicines say 'adults _and_ children ages twelve and over'? Doesn't that mean you could still take this stuff?"

Edd considers that, but he's still apprehensive.

"I'm not sure how this would actually affect me, Eddy," he states uneasily, "Aside from the warning on the label, I've read that this hasn't been tested thoroughly for pediatric patients. I don't think this is such a good idea…"

Eddy shrugs uncomfortably; "Terry only has strong stuff like that in the medicine cabinet. Right now, it's all we've got. And…I dunno…I figure you need…_something_ to feel better…"

Edd looks down at the bottle, brow furrowed.

"I just…I don't think I feel safe taking this, Eddy," Edd whimpers, "Wh-What if even _one_ of these makes me overdose?! And I've no idea if there's a hospital nearby you could take me to in the event of poisoning from this medication. I…I don't think I can risk that…"

Eddy sighs, running his hands through his hair. He doesn't want to make Edd uncomfortable. His words run through his mind over and over. _I don't think I feel safe…I don't think I feel safe…I don't feel safe…I don't feel safe…_

"Alright, Double D…" he takes the bottle out of Edd's hands and sets it on the counter, "I'm not gonna force you to take it or anything. Let's just worry about getting you…covered. Then we can get you home so you can take something else for the pain…"

Edd breathes a sigh of relief as Eddy looks around. The shortest boy's eyes fall on his brother's jacket, but he dismisses it with a grimace. There's no way he's making Edd wear _that_ any more than he already has. He considers searching the rest of the trailer for any spare clothes, but knows he'd only find what belonged to his brother. There are few options. He notes the towel around Edd's middle, an idea sparking.

"Double D, gimme your towel," he commands suddenly.

"I _beg_ your pardon?!" Edd gawks, holding the towel tighter over himself.

"C'mon, Double D, I got an idea," Eddy shrugs, "Now, gimme your towel."

Reluctantly, Edd unwraps the towel from around himself, but holds it over his crotch self-consciously, wary of handing it over to Eddy. He doesn't seem to need to as his friend approaches him and grabs the ends of the towel. Instead of taking it from Edd, he carefully wraps it around his waist and between his friend's legs. Edd watches him carefully as Eddy creates a covering for him that will conceal his genitals and backside while also offering something of a cushion between himself and Ed while the taller boy carries him on his back.

"There!" Eddy stands back to view his handiwork.

It's a bit bulky over his scrawny friend, but it would surely do for now. Edd looks over himself, blushing a bit at how ridiculous he must look, but decides that it would suffice. He nods to Eddy with a small smile.

"Thank you, Eddy," he says sincerely.

With help from his shorter friend, he's mounted onto Ed's back. Edd's arms wrap securely around Ed's neck, being careful not to strangle his companion. The sleeves of the jacket are occupied by Ed's arms, creating a snug, but comfortable covering for the frail boy. The bottom of the jacket is then tied around Ed's waist, with Edd's legs on either side and poking out just above where the edges are tied together. When it's all said and done, Ed's jacket resembles some kind of weird backpack, with Edd as its cargo.

"Alright, Monobrow," Eddy takes a few steps back, "Stand up and see if that'll hold."

Keeping his hands back to brace Edd, the taller boy carefully stands. Edd whimpers a little from discomfort.

"Are you okay, Double D?" Ed asks, worried.

Edd takes a few deep breaths before nodding against Ed's neck.

"I'm alright, Ed," he pants, "Just…m-move slowly, please."

Ed nods and starts to walk slowly from the bathroom. Eddy watches them leave, wincing with each whimper Edd makes. Resolutely, he snatches the bottle of Vicodin from the counter.

Edd may change his mind if this keeps up…

He follows after them, walking swiftly past. Given Marie's attitude when he'd walked out before, he knows she'll make a scene. They near the door, dented slightly from when Terry kicked it earlier. Edd glances up. His eyes go wide. Terry's angry voice is already ringing in his ears. Flashes of just what the man would do to him should he catch them leaving. He sees the man in the doorway, eyes full of rage and focused on him. Panic takes him.

"S-Stop!" he gasps, wriggling on Ed's back, "Stop – _Now!_ Put me down, Ed!"

Ed's startled by the urgency in Edd's voice. Hastily, he lowers himself to let Edd down. Had he hurt him? Eddy has stopped short of the door and looks as concerned as Ed. He tenses when Edd frees himself from the jacket and starts to back away from them both. He's nearing the living room and mumbling to himself.

"Double D – What are you doing?!" Eddy demands, "We're wasting valuable time! We gotta go!"

"N-No…!" Edd stutters, shaking his head desperately, "N-No-No! No! I-I can't!"

"The hell do you _mean_ 'you can't'?!" Eddy gawks.

Ed and Eddy watch, helpless, as Edd starts to crumble.

"T-Terry…" he mumbles, pulling his hat down tightly over his head, "He-He'll hurt me again…I-If he catches us…No…No _when_ he catches us, he…he'll hurt me! So…s-so much worse than before! I…" He looks down at himself, eyes wide. "I-I don't know what I'm doing! I-I have to stay here." He turns to run into the living room. "I have to stay!"

Eddy breaks out of his disbelieving reverie and grabs Edd's arm.

"Double D!" he cries, "Stop it! We're trying to get you _away_ from him so he _can't_ hurt you again, remember?!"

Edd's having none of it.

"No!" he whimpers, struggling to pull himself away. "No – I can't!" He stops for a moment, holding his head in a desperate attempt to keep from falling apart. "I don't know what possessed me to try to leave just now. How _stupid_ can I be?!"

As Edd start to hyperventilate, Eddy tries to get through to him.

"Calm down, Double D!" he attempts weakly.

"No–No!" Edd starts crying, "I allowed myself to be swept up by your promises, but I _know_ you can't keep them! E-Even if we _do_ escape, he-he'll come after me! B-Beat me. Vi…Violate me. Over and…and over and over! N-No…! I can't go! I can't! _I can't!_"

He's silenced by a sharp slap. Startled, he looks to Eddy, whose hand is still poised from the strike. The shorter boy's eyes are focused on Edd's own, looking pained. They're both oblivious to Ed, who's watching the scene fearfully. He wants so badly to help, but Edd's breakdown has the tallest Ed too afraid to go near him. Eddy grabs Edd's shoulders and shakes him a bit.

"Edd," he speaks calmly, but firmly, "Get a grip on yourself!" He cups Edd's cheeks to steady him, keeping Edd's gaze locked with his own. "He's _not_ gonna hurt you again. Okay? We're gonna take you home where you'll be _safe_. He _won't_ hurt you _again_."

Edd searches Eddy's face for signs of uncertainty – how can he be so sure? As he calms, the tears he's crying fall more swiftly. He grabs Eddy's hands, holding them in place.

"You…" he hiccups, "Y-You're certain?"

"I swear, Edd," Eddy replies sternly, "I told you; I won't let him hurt you ever again and I meant it."

Taking a few more deep, calming breaths, Edd nods. Eddy glances at Ed.

"C'mon, Ed," he motions the taller boy over, "Let's go."

Ed doesn't hesitate. Bundling the shaking boy back onto Ed's back, they once again approach the door. Edd shuts his eyes tight, ignoring as best he can Terry's voice echoing in his own, tortured mind and demanding him to return.

Eddy opens the door, shooting a glare in the direction of the Kanker sisters. He glances for a moment at Edd to find him hiding his face in Ed's neck. That may be for the best. He's not sure he wants any of them looking at Edd either. He glances at Terry, relieved that the man is still unconscious, though he's not sure how much longer that can last. Nevertheless, he definitely doesn't want Edd seeing _him_ right now.

"_Double D!_" he cringes at the sound of Marie's wail.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Edd do the same and cling tighter to Ed. She's running towards them, arms outstretched to grab at him. Eddy grits his teeth and steps between them.

"BACK OFF, MARIE!" he roars as loudly as he's able.

The Kanker comes to a grinding halt, fear at the edges of her eyes. She hasn't seen Eddy this angry since Edd's short stint as the mistaken school bully. It had been shortly after that little kid, Jimmy, had gone off on Eddy and the others, when she and her sisters had approached Edd to offer him his 'consolation prize'. Eddy had screamed at them louder and more fiercely than ever before.

This is worse than that.

Eddy quickly turns to Edd and touches the shivering boy's arm, hoping to calm him. Marie shakily makes another move towards Edd.

"Don't _touch_ him, Marie," Eddy snarls, "Stay the fuck away from him."

Lee and May come forward, grabbing Marie's shoulders. The tallest sister shakes her head when Marie gives her a yearning look. Even May is hesitant. They know now isn't the time.

The silence is broken by Kevin, who still looks uneasy.

"So…What now?" he asks, "Shouldn't…Sh-Shouldn't we get out of here?"

Eddy doesn't answer. Instead, he grabs the front of Ed's shirt, tugging him forward. Ed follows without question. They put a great distance between themselves and Terry as they walk around him. Edd doesn't raise his head once as Eddy leads them back the way they came. The others share a look before silently following. Kevin lowers the tire iron, letting it fall to the ground as they walk from the scene, leaving the unconscious adult alone.

They walk quickly, retracing the path that had led them to the trailer before. Eddy remains at Ed's side exclusively. The others lag behind. They're close enough they won't get lost, but far enough away to give the Eds the space they need. Every now and then, they see Edd's hand reach for Eddy. Without hesitation, Eddy takes it. He rubs the back of Edd's hand with his thumb to comfort him. Marie bristles whenever she sees this. The act is innocent enough; a comforting gesture between best friends – one of whom is suffering both physically and mentally – but her petty jealousy rears its ugly head regardless.

It's a little over an hour before they finally arrive at their destination; the trailer park. Edd raises his head, looking perplexed. Why come here? Biting his lip, he looks around uneasily. It feels like they've been walking for ages. He wonders if Terry is giving chase after them. How long would it be until he found them? He hunches his shoulders, brow furrowed. The more he thinks on it, the more he begins to worry.

Eddy, meanwhile, is looking determined as they walk among the trailers. The sun is starting to set, bathing the sky and the land around them in an orange glow. They have to find shelter immediately. If they remain out in the open when night falls, his brother would surely find them and they would be helpless against him. His eyes search frantically for the familiar face. Finally, he spots her. Hair looking rather unkempt in its ponytail. Sweat pants and an over-sized t-shirt for comfort. Cigarette between her lips. She's carrying a heavy-looking trash bag outside to a pair of garbage cans set against the side of her trailer.

"Hey!" Eddy cries, running toward her.

Ed follows, picking up his pace. She turns to the oncoming group, startled, and removes the cigarette.

"Oh, it's you," she notes as she exhales the smoke, brow furrowed, "Did you find your brother?"

"Yeah – look, can we come in for a bit?" Eddy asks.

She's surprised by the urgency in his voice; "What? Why?"

Eddy glances around uneasily.

"Please!" he begs, "Just for a little while. We need to call our parents!"

"I thought you said your parents were _here_?" she asks, looking suspicious.

"Yes!" Eddy groans, "We lied. But I _swear!_ We had a good reason! If you let us inside to call home, I'll explain everything! _Please!_"

The woman regards him warily before looking over the group. Upon closer inspection, she sees that most of them are laden with bruises and cuts. They look to be in bad shape. Her maternal instincts and her conscience are telling her to let them in. Her eyes fall on Edd. She almost didn't notice the boy. He looks to be in worse shape than the others and in terrible pain. This boy hadn't been with them before. Reluctantly, she finally nods at them.

"Alright," she relents, "Come on inside. You all look like you've been through hell."

The group heaves a collective sigh of relief as she leads them into the trailer. Rolf, however, stops at the door with Wilfred. Kevin glances at him.

"Dude, aren't you gonna come in?" he asks as the others step inside.

Rolf shakes his head; "Rolf shall stand guard should Eddy's brother come lurking."

Kevin's startled by that. Of course, he'd considered that possibility, but a part of him had been unwilling to believe it. Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he stands beside Rolf.

"I'll stay too," he states in a shaky tone.

Rolf casts him a broad smile and claps him on the shoulder.

"Rolf is most proud of your bravery, Kevin-boy," he informs the redhead.

Kevin scoffs; "Well, gotta make up for before. Standing around all useless…"

"Hmm…yes, your performance in our battle was most feeble," Rolf agrees, making Kevin roll his eyes, "However! You overcame your crippling cowardice to give us a great advantage in the end. You should take pride in that."

A small smile finds its way to the redhead's face at that. It felt good to receive validation for his previous fears after overcoming them. He holds his head up a bit higher as he stands beside Rolf, eyes scanning the area around them carefully.

Inside, the resident is handing Eddy the phone as he and the others gather in the small living space.

"Thanks lady…" Eddy grumbles, taking the phone in hand.

"Yeah, yeah, call me Grace, by the way," she retorts, turning away to walk to the kitchen, "You kids want some drinks? I've got a few sodas in here and some water."

"Sure," Eddy mumbles distractedly before his eyes drift to Edd. A thought occurs to him, "Oh, hey! Uh…Grace, was it? Um…you have an spare clothes?"

"Spare clothes?" she echoes, "Why?"

"It's a long story," Eddy hunches his shoulders uneasily, "but my friend here could really use them…"

She looks at Edd, eyes wide with surprise as he buries his face in Ed's neck shyly. Biting her lip, she glances down the hallway.

"There might be something my son left behind back in his room," she relents, "It's down the hall, on the right."

"Thanks," Eddy breathes sincerely before turning his attention to Ed, "Okay, you heard her, Lumpy. Take Double D to the bedroom so he can get some clothes to change into."

Without wasting another second, Ed marches to the bedroom and walks in, shutting the door behind him. Eddy turns his focus to the phone to dial his home number. He gulps nervously, worried about his parent's reaction. Taking a deep breath, he punches in the numbers and raises the phone to his ear anxiously. He hears the ringing on the other end of the line. Each ring frays his nerves further and further. Finally, there's an answer.

"_Yes? Hello?!_" a frantic voice gasps. His mother. He cringes at the tears in her voice.

"Mom?" he asks hesitantly.

"_Eddy?!_" He hears a kind of feedback on the other end of the line, as though someone were rubbing something against the receiver. Her voice is muffled as she sobs, "_My baby! My baby!_"

He rolls his eyes. From the sound of it, he has a feeling she's clutching the phone dramatically to her chest. Down the hall, he notices Ed walking out of the bedroom and closing the door behind him again. He doesn't leave the door, though, and stands in place. Eddy realizes that Edd had finally found some spare clothes and is changing.

"_Eddy?! Eddy?!_" His mother's voice calling to him on the other end of the line draws his attention back to the phone.

"Mom?" he asks again, "Y-Yeah. It's Eddy…Listen, I –"

"_Where _are_ you?!_" she demands, "_Your father and I have been worried _sick! _Four days! How can you just run off like that?! Where _have_ you been?! Where are you now?!_"

Eddy sighs a bit; "Mom – _Mom_!" He groans a bit as she continues her rant, "Mom, please! You gotta listen to me!"

"_Where are you_?!" she asks again.

Before he can answer, he can here a faint voice on the other end of the line.

"_Mrs. Sampson!_"

His eyes go wide.

"Is that Nazz?" he asks.

His mother sounds annoyed as she speaks to the girl who'd just arrived instead.

"_Nazz, honey, not now_," she sighs.

"Mom! Let me talk to her!" Eddy demands.

"_Absolutely not!_" his mother snaps back, "_Now you tell me where you are!_"

"Mom!" Eddy groans, "This is really important! Put Nazz on the phone!"

"_Eddy, don't you take that tone of voice with me_!" his mother yells.

"Mom _please_!" Eddy begs, "This can't wait! I need to talk to Nazz. I'll explain everything when you get here and Nazz can tell you where we are, but I've _gotta_ talk to her first! I can't risk you hanging up on me the second I tell you where we are!"

There's a hesitation on the other end of the line. He understands. It's natural that his mother would be reluctant to hand the phone over after his disappearance. Finally, she relents.

"_Fine_," she sighs.

He hears the phone exchanging hands.

"_Hello_?" he's relieved to hear Nazz's voice again, "_Eddy? Is that you, dude?_"

"Nazz, thank _god_," Eddy sighs, "Am I glad to hear your voice!"

"_Aw dude,_" Nazz sounds surprised, "_You sound thrashed. Are you okay? Did you find him?_"

He hears his mother ask who she's talking about, but he gives her no opportunity to answer.

"I'm fine," he replies, "And yeah, we found 'im. Look, Nazz, you gotta get our parents to come get us as soon as possible!"

"_Why?_" she asks, "_What's going on?_"

"It's complicated…" he sighs, "We were able to find Terry, and –"

"_Terry?_" Nazz asked, confused.

"My brother!" Eddy groans, "Seriously! How is that hard to figure out at this point?!"

He hears his mother's voice in the background again, this time she sounds angry.

"_He went looking for _Terry?!" she cries.

Eddy can feel himself growing irritated with the run-around.

"_Urgh!_ Listen!" he snaps, "We found Bro and got Double D away from him, but we think he might come find us," Eddy explains, "We're hiding out at Pine Fresh Motor Homes – my folks will know where that is. Get the other parents and fill them all in on _everything_ that's going on, but tell them to _hurry_, okay?"

"_Okay, I got it_," Nazz assures him, "_We'll be there as soon as we can. Where are you again?_"

"Pine Fresh Motor Homes," Eddy repeats, "Thanks Nazz. I owe ya one for this."

With that, he hangs up and Grace approaches him.

"Alright, kid," she sounds serious and is giving him a hard look, "I think you owe me an explanation. I've let you all into my home, let you use my phone and let your little friend borrow my son's clothes. Now I heard you talking about some really messed up shit on the phone. What the hell is going on?"

Eddy sighs, combing his fingers through his hair. He glances down the hall. Edd still hasn't come out. He wonders if he'd even want to right now. Perhaps he'd rather be alone until their parents arrived? Returning his attention to Grace, he realizes she's right; they owe her an explanation for why they're there.

"Alright," he looks around at the furniture and then back to her; "Can we sit down?"

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**DuoXKouga: Rate and Review and we'll see you all in the next chapter! Bye-Bye! :)**


	14. A House Is Not An Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

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><p><em>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<em>

_Authors' Notes:_

_DuoXKouga: We're still alive.. Deepest apologies to everyone for the long delay! I've been really sick lately and have been unable to do my part. So sorry..._

_Battygirl: Hey look! We're not dead, see! I apologize profusely for the delay in updating. I just finished my last week of this past semester and it was pretty rough and then DuoXKouga kept getting sick and…just so much getting in the way. I'm off for the summer, though, so we'll try to work more towards the fic. Anyway, we hope you enjoy the chapter, but maybe try to leave a comment if you can. Even a nice message is welcome for a new chapter._

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: A House Is Not An Edd<strong>

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><p>"And…here we are…" Eddy sighs, glad to be finished with their tale.<p>

He's leaning back against the chair he's sitting in, looking exhausted just from describing the events leading up to this moment. He'd been careful to leave out any and all mentions regarding the specifics of what Terry had done to Edd while the boy had been captive. As far as he's concerned, it's none of her business to know that. Still, after everything he _had_ revealed, Grace is sitting in a chair opposite him, her hand over her mouth as she gives him a thoughtful look. Her other hand rests on her knee as she anxiously bounces her leg. The group can tell just from looking at her that she's unnerved by what she's heard. After a few moments of silence, she finally speaks.

"Why didn't you kids go to the police?" she asks, her voice shaking slightly.

Eddy fidgets uncomfortably and shrugs.

"Like I said…my brother told us we couldn't…" he replies, "We were scared he'd hurt Double D. Guess it didn't really matter either way, though…"

Grace sighs softly and cards her fingers through her hair, pulling a few strands loose from the messy ponytail. She rises to her feet.

"I need a smoke…" she grumbles as she walks to the door, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

When she's out the door Eddy rises to his feet as well. He notices, briefly, that the sun has set completely by now. The darkness outside is broken only just by lights on tall posts scattered about the trailer park. He turns to the hallway. He should really check on Edd…

Before he can enter the hall, however, Marie steps in his path.

"Hold on there, shrimpy," she snarls, "I wanna see my boyfriend!"

"Not a good time, Kanker," Eddy spits back through his teeth.

"Oh no," she snaps, "Not again. I've waited _long enough!_ I wanna see my Pumpkin _now!_"

Eddy groans, tugging at his hair in anger. He returns his attention back to Marie to scream at her, only to find Ed standing behind her, looking concerned. The larger boy pushes past her and approaches Eddy before leaning down to whisper into his ear.

"Eddy, Double D wants to talk to you," he nearly whimpers. He's still upset about everything that's happened and it's most evident in his voice. "B-Back in the room…"

Eddy regards him carefully before nodding to him.

"Alright, Ed," he replies, "Let's go." He glances at Marie and casts her a half-hearted a sneer. "You wait out here, got it?"

"No!" Marie argues, "I want to see—"

"Shut _up!_" Eddy demands, "Fuck me…I'll bring him out in a second, alright. Just stay here and shut the fuck up."

Marie pouts as he stomps past her to walk down the hallway. Upon reaching the door, he knocks on the wood.

"Dee?" he calls softly, "You okay in there?"

A moment later, the door opens slightly and Edd peeks out. He glances around a bit to be sure Ed and Eddy are alone.

"P-Please, come in," he stutters, stepping aside to let them in.

Eddy glances back at Ed.

"Wait out here, okay, big guy?" he asks gently, "Make sure that Kanker bitch doesn't try anything stupid."

Ed nods affirmatively as Eddy enters the room, shutting it behind himself. In the room, Eddy can see what Edd had chosen to wear. A simple polo shirt and baggy shorts. There didn't seem to be any shoes that fit him, leaving the boy to stand barefoot in the room, but the clothes are at least an improvement. Unfortunately, the hatted boy is looking rather uncomfortable.

"You okay?" Eddy asks hesitantly.

He realizes that it's a stupid question, but he's not sure what else he can say at this point. Edd shifts a bit on his feet, rubbing his arm nervously.

"Why…Why would you go to such lengths for me?" he asks shyly.

"What do you mean?" Eddy asks, confused.

Edd shrugs; "I heard you talking to that woman…Everything you and the others went through…All for me. Why?"

Eddy's eyes go wide.

"Why?!" he gawks, "The heck do you _mean_ 'why'?!"

Edd bows his head ashamedly, wincing at his tone. Eddy's taken aback when he spots this. He hasn't seen Edd this uncertain since…No, he can't recall such a time. Even when they'd argued in the swamp, Edd still looked confident. Still looked sure of himself, even when his friends had taken advantage of him and later, when all was forgiven. He grits his teeth, silently cursing whatever his brother had done to Edd to take away what little confidence the boy had.

His shoulders relax and fall as he takes a deep breath to calm himself. He can't get angry. Now's not the time for that. When he's calm, he returns his focus to Edd. Stepping forward, he grabs Edd's arms gently, drawing the taller boy's attention.

"Look, Edd," he paused, trying to choose his words carefully, "You…You're my best friend. There's no way I could have just left you behind."

"But…after all you've gone through…"

"Doesn't matter," Eddy snaps back, "Me and Ed weren't about to just abandon you like that. You said it yourself back at the swamp. We're all we have." He grins as he takes another deep breath. "And nobody breaks up the Eds."

A small smile breaks out on Edd's face before he throws his arms around his smaller companion in a tight hug. Eddy grins, returning the hug as gently as possible. They remain for a few moments, enjoying the small moment of reprieve.

It's broken, unfortunately, by a loud bickering out in the living area.

"_Calm down, Marie!_" Lee's muffled voice attempts to soothe.

"_No!_" Marie's voice wails back, "_I've been patient! I've waited long enough! I wanna see my Double D!_"

Edd cringes at the sound of her screams, clinging tighter to Eddy. The shorter boy groans in annoyance and pulls himself away from the hug to glare at the door. Fucking bitch…

He glances back at Edd hesitantly; "You okay to go out there? She's just gonna keep bitching and moaning until you do, but me and Ed can try to shut her up if you'd rather hang out back here…"

Edd looks to consider it for a moment.

"_DOUBLE D!_" Marie's voice shrieks.

Edd winces again, but gives a weak nod regardless.

"I…suppose I could make the effort…" he mumbles.

Eddy can see the uncertainty in his eyes, but decides to take the chance. If nothing else, they can sequester themselves back in this room should this little meeting take a bad turn.

Eddy takes Edd's shaking hand in his own, giving the anxious boy a moment to collect himself before opening the door. Ed's startled by their sudden exit and steps aside. His eyes are locked on Edd, watching for any signs of distress. He's tense as Eddy leads Edd down the hallway. Even Ed, simple as he is, can see how uncomfortable the smarter boy is right now. He doesn't like it one bit.

As they exit the hallway, Edd shrinks in on himself some. He can feel the eyes shift to settle on him. A wave of sickness washes over him, compounding his discomfort. Despite this, he does not succumb to his nausea. Taking a few deep breaths, he tries to calm himself.

"_Double D!_" Marie sobs, startling him.

He clings to Eddy's arm, bracing himself as she rushes toward him. She grabs his arm none too gently and yanks him into a tight, painful hug. Edd whimpers as she clings to him. There are tears in her eyes, but a wicked grin on her lips.

"I missed you so much, _boyfriend!_" she cries, nuzzling him.

Edd winces as her grip tightens. She pushes him away just enough to look down at him as he cowers.

"How about a kiss, cutie?" she coos.

Edd's eyes are wide as a different voice echoes in his mind at those words. Not Marie's shrill, feminine tone, but a deep, scratching voice that he's sure will haunt him for the remainder of his days. His heart races as he struggles against her grip.

"N-No! No!" he gasps, "L-Let go of me! Stay back!"

Marie's startled as he wrenches himself away from her. It's not the typical reaction she and her sisters receive from the Eds. Sure, the boys would scamper from them, screaming, but never in terror such as this. Edd clambers over to his taller companion, hiding behind him and weeping. He clutches his hat desperately, tugging it down over his eyes and ears.

Gritting his teeth, Eddy steps into Marie's way when she makes a move towards Edd. The shorter Ed shoves her away as the tallest begins ushering their shaking friend back to the bedroom.

"Back off, Marie!" he snaps.

"But I was just—"

"He doesn't wanna see you, alright?!" he growls, "Leave him alone!"

Without waiting for her to counter, Eddy races back to the bedroom to check on Edd.

"You okay, Sockhead?" he asks as he shuts the door behind him.

When he turns to look at his two friends, he finds Edd quaking on the floor, holding the sides of his head and sobbing into Ed's jacket. Ed's wrapped his arms around him, doing his best to comfort the boy.

Leaving the door, Eddy rushes to Edd's side and kneels beside him. Ed gives him a helpless look, unsure how he can offer any comfort to his dear friend. Eddy winces. Of course he can't help. As far as Eddy's aware, Ed doesn't even completely understand what's happened to their shivering comrade. Terry may have blatantly told them, but Eddy's not one hundred percent certain that their simple friend would have been able to comprehend any of it, let alone know what he can do to help the boy.

Of course, he's not sure what he can do either…

"D-Double D…" Ed whimpers shakily, "Are you okay?"

Edd doesn't respond. Tears are falling fast past the fabric of the hat, cascading down his cheeks as the boy tries desperately to calm his breathing. With little other option, Eddy resolves himself to rubbing Edd's back, hoping the action would be enough to soothe him.

It takes several minutes, but Edd's sobbing eventually dwindles away to a few hiccuping breaths and sniffles. His grip on his hat has slackened and his hands have fallen to his lap. He's still leaning against Ed, face buried in his friend's jacket. It's unnerving for his friends to witness, as Edd barely seems bothered by how filthy the garment actually is in favor of keeping his face hidden.

Finally, Edd sits up, rubbing fiercely at his eyes to wipe away the tears.

"M-My apologies…" he mumbles, "What you both must think of me…crumbling into a blubbering mess over something as miniscule as that…"

Eddy rubs the back of his neck uneasily.

"Don't sweat it, Sockhead…" he shrugs, "It's that stupid Kanker who fucked up." He flashes a smirk at Ed. "Aint that right, Lumpy?"

Ed nods, giving his own usual, goofy grin. Looking between them both, Edd smiles gratefully.

"Thank you…" he breathes, "I don't know what I'd do without you two here…"

Eddy puffs his chest out proudly; "Forget about it, Sockhead. Like I said; nobody breaks up the Eds."

Ed throws his arms around his smaller companion in a tight hug.

"We'll always be here for you, Double D!" he cries, sounding happy for the first time in days.

Edd giggles a bit at the overzealous embrace as Ed nuzzles him affectionately. It's so refreshing to finally relax with his dear friends again.

The bliss doesn't last long, though, as they hear a bit of a ruckus going on outside. The sounds of cars pulling up to the trailer, followed by a few honks. The boys share a look before rising slowly to their feet. As they exit the room and walk down the hall, Edd looks more and more uncomfortable.

Entering the living area, they find the trailer deserted. A wave of fear washes over the three. For a mere moment, they worry that the new arrival is, in fact, a malevolent one.

"_Kevin!_" A female voice cries in relief, "_My baby!_"

Their worries are assuaged in that motherly display. It really is their parents. With that in mind, the three shuffle over to the door, bracing themselves for the onslaught of overprotective clinging. They're nearly blinded when they first step out. A few of the headlights are aimed right for the door and were left on by the adults fresh on the scene. After a moment to adjust, they can observe the groups around them.

Kevin is being held in a vice grip by his mother. A tall woman with fiery red hair wearing a leather jacket over her tight-fitting blouse and torn jeans. She's sobbing as she kisses all over his face and as his father kneels beside her, joining the embrace as best he can. The man looks like the typical biker; worn leather jacket with spiked studs on the shoulders over a dingy wife beater and baggy jeans. He has shaggy ginger hair, which looks closer to brunette in the little light. Behind the three is a beautifully maintained motorcycle, confirming the family's biker status. The man looks nothing like what Edd would have expected of an employee of a candy factory, though it doesn't surprise him to see the shared interest in bikes. The red-head's cap has fallen to the ground from his mother clutching him tight. He looks to be trying to maintain a tough facade, but is crumbling fast as he succumbs quickly to the feeling of his mother's arms and kisses.

Rolf is farther away, sandwiched between an older couple. He is standing, chest puffed out as he regales them with the tale of their excursion and of his bravery in the face of danger. The older man, though trying to appear standoffish, cannot hide the proud grin that is creeping onto his face at the boy's actions and how well he'd cared for the others in his stead. The Eds just barely overhear him praising their little shepherd for showing such great care to his wayward flock.

The Kankers are huddled far opposite Rolf's small reunion with a single woman. Even if the girls weren't near her, the boys would be able to guess her relation. The Kanker matriarch is a salty-looking lady with a gruff voice. They can just barely make out an anchor tattoo on her right arm, revealed by the rolled up sleeves of her work shirt. Her straight, red hair is pulled up in a tight pony tail and her bangs rest over her eyes. She's looking to her girls with pride, praising them for the lengths they'd gone to protect their boyfriends.

"_Ed!_" the boys are startled at the shrill voice that calls suddenly through the night.

Their attention is brought up to a blonde woman wearing a frilly dress stepping out of one of the cars. The makeup she's wearing is heavily applied over her eyes and lips and she looks none-too thrilled to be there. Out the driver's side of the car steps a red-haired man with a scruffy-looking beard and wearing blue coveralls covered in oil stains. He looks more concerned than the woman and is quick to run forward past her.

"Mom!" Ed cries tearfully, throwing his arms out and running to them, "Dad!"

He runs into his dad's arms first, which Edd is startled to find. Ed's mother, upon reaching him, looks less angry as she joins the hug, momentarily satisfied in her joy of having her son back in her arms. Ed pulls himself away from them for a brief moment.

"D-Did Sarah make it home?!" he sobs, "Is she okay?!"

Ed's mother bristles a bit and she opens her mouth to yell at him before the boy's father intervenes.

"She's just fine Ed," he assures him, "Nazz brought her home safe and sound."

"You should have _stayed_ with her, Ed," the woman scolds.

Ed tries to make an excuse to explain why he couldn't, but Edd and Eddy don't hear it. It's at this moment that another woman's voice breaks through the reverie.

"_Eddy!_" the shortest Ed's mother cries as she scoops the boy into her arms, a cigarette falling, discarded to the ground, "Oh! My sweet little baby!"

"Mom!" Eddy whines, trying to play it off, "C'mon, mom! Not in front of the guys!"

His mother doesn't hear him; "My baby! My _baby!_ I was so worried about you! Running away like that! Not even a note! I was so scared!"

A larger woman, she's wearing a pink, pinstripe dress and her brunette hair is held back by a red bandana. Eddy's father approaches shortly after. He looks angry, but there's still relief in his eyes as he starts scolding Eddy for running off the way he did.

Edd chuckles a bit. It really is sweet that the parents are so affectionate with their children. Punishments will surely be meted out — he can see the urge to punish alight in Ed's mother's eyes — but for now, it seems that they're just glad to have their 'babies' safe in their arms again.

"_Eddward!_"

Edd cringes at the tone of his own mother's voice. It seems they've finally arrived on the scene…Brow furrowed, he turns to his parents as they approach him. For a moment, he considers running to them for the inevitable 'loving family embrace' like the rest of his friends had. He hesitates, however, upon seeing the angry looks in their disapproving eyes. Where relief and affection filled the faces of the other adults, Edd can only find in his own parent's expression disappointment, irritation and — his heart throbs in hurt — shame.

Both are very tall and slender as well, adding to their imposing appearance. The two are wearing neatly pressed suits. Edd imagines they must have come straight from work. Their black hair is well-kept and neatly combed and the glasses pushed up the bridges of their noses are spotless, offering no obstruction to the angry looks they're giving their shivering son. Edd shrinks in on himself, bowing his head contritely as they stand before him.

"Look at you!" his mother scolds, "You are absolutely _filthy!_ And where are your clothes?! And your _shoes!_"

Edd wrings his hands together, not sure how to tell them. He opens his mouth to explain, when his mother raises her hand to silence him.

"Never mind," she sighs, "It's not important." She bears down on him. "Your father and I are told you were abducted from an amusement park. Is this true?"

"Y-Yes…" Edd stutters meekly, "E-Eddy's older brother, Ter…T-Terry…He—"

"Do _not_ stutter, Eddward," his father interrupts.

"Eddward, do you understand _why_ this happened?" mother asks.

Edd's caught off guard by that.

"Wha…What?" he mumbles.

"You ran away from home," his mother explains, "This is what happens to naughty children who disobey their parents."

The boy is flabbergasted by her words, but is unable to argue as his father continues.

"You ran away from home," he lists, "You left a tremendous mess throughout the house that your mother and I had to spend hours of our busy schedule cleaning up, and you left the front door standing wide open; allowing a plethora of thieves and any manner of animals and insects into our home."

Edd's shoulders slump as he absorbs this.

"And _because_ you ran away from home," his mother adds, "You made yourself susceptible to the possibility of someone taking advantage of a misbehaving child."

Said child cannot offer a cohesive response.

"You see, Eddward?" his mother sighs, "Your actions have consequences."

The boy's jaw drops. He can hardly believe what he's hearing. His fault. That's what they're saying. Everything that happened to him — everything that Terry had done to him — had been his fault. He feels sick.

"Well, Eddward?" his father presses, drawing the boy to return his focus to them.

His mother's hands are on her hips, "Are you going to just stand there, mouth agape? Or are you going to take responsibility for your actions?"

Edd bows his head in disbelief. He looks down at his own body. He runs his hands over the bruises that are easily seen on his arms. Moves his fingers to ghost over his face. A bit of pressure. He flinches. Yes, the bruises on his face that he can so clearly remember from the mirror are indeed there. He's bathed in the bright headlights from the cars. Surely they can see them? His breathing is labored some as he begins to hyperventilate in his desperation. He glances at his friends. The others are far too distracted by the kind words and loving embraces from their own families. A pang of envy accosts him. How badly he wishes he could receive the same treatment.

"_Eddward!_"

His attention snaps immediately back to his parents, who are nearly glaring at him for daring to remain silent to their statements.

"Do _not_ ignore me!" his mother demands, her voice wavering slightly.

"P-Please…" he begs tearfully, "Didn't…D-Didn't you miss me at all? Wuh…Weren't you at _all_ worried when you heard what had happened to me?"

They're visibly taken aback by the sudden questions, but attempt to write it off.

"Well of _course_ we did, Eddward," father assures him, "And of _course_ we were worried about your safety…"

In his hurt, Edd finds no sincerity in his tone.

"We're just…so terribly disappointed in your lack of judgement," his mother explains with a weary sigh, "We expected so much more from you."

Edd grabs the edges of his hat, bowing his head. His parents had never been very affectionate towards him — or each other, for that matter — but he always believed they still loved him. They loved him, but they wouldn't show it well, or perhaps didn't _know_ how to show it.

Now, however, he begins to question it. Surely, if they loved him, they wouldn't scold him like this after everything he'd been through. They may not know the extent of his ordeal, but surely they should be more considerate knowing that their only child had been abducted? Can they not see his bruises? Can they not judge from his appearance that he's been through a hell they can only imagine? Isn't the immediate reaction upon seeing their child in such a condition to express concern? Isn't the proper response to being reunited to show relief and love?

Instead, he finds himself receiving none of that. Terry's words ring in his head. _Sounds like your folks don't give a damn either way…Who the fuck would come for you…You ain't good for much more than fucking. Who would waste their time trying to rescue some fuck toy…No one else would ever want a worthless little thing like you…_

Eddy watches from his mother's arms. His blood boils with each cold statement Edd's parents make to their son. He can see Edd shaking, his shoulders hunching as he tugs his hat down in his anxiety. The boy is breaking down again and his parents just keep making it worse and pushing him closer and closer to that breaking point. Growling, Eddy manages to wriggle from his mother's grasp. Ignoring her protests, he runs to Edd and stands between the crumbling boy and his parents.

"_Back off!_" he demands, "Don't you think he's been through enough?!"

Edd's mother is unfazed, and even appears incensed by the boy's audacity.

"_You_ would do well to stay out of this!" she demands, "I would hazard a guess that _you_ are the one who influenced our son to run from home to begin with. You always _have_ been a horrible influence on our Eddward. I imagine it's _your_ fault all of this happened."

Eddy falters. She's not wrong about that…

"Come along, Eddward," the woman sneers, "We must get you home right away to get you cleaned up."

Edd's father pushes Eddy aside and puts his hand on Edd's shoulder. The meek boy doesn't fight as he's led to their car. He tries to think positively as he's settled into the back seat. At least they'd personally come to pick him up. That's a sign of love, right? His parents take their seats up front, speaking between each other.

"Perhaps we can still return to work after dropping Eddward off at home?" mother suggests, "Do you think they will pardon our absence until then?"

"I can't say," father sighs, "We did waste a great deal of time with this venture. I fear it may take a lot of effort to convince them to overlook our unscheduled egress. But they may understand given the circumstances."

Whatever his mother says next in response, Edd doesn't hear it. A burden. That's how they see this — how they see _him._ They hadn't stated it explicitly, but the boy can read it in their expressions. He bites his lip, trying not to cry. The physical pain Terry had inflicted upon him was nothing compared to this. Never before has he felt so…alone.

Eddy watches the car pull away. He wants to scream at those two more than anything. However, he admits that, as long as Edd is safe, it's fine. He's going home now with his parents and far away from his brother.

…His brother…

It hits Eddy like a ton of bricks and he wheels around to face his parents again.

"Mom! Dad!" he cries, "We gotta go! We gotta go find Bro!"

"What?!" his mother gawks, "Haven't you seen enough of that horrible little —"

"Honey," his father sneers, "I'm pretty sure he means we need to deal with Terry."

The woman pouts, looking less than thrilled.

"But we _just_ got our baby back!" she whines.

"Yeah, but Terry's gone too damn far this time," the man snaps back, "We gotta deal with this _now._" He glances at Eddy. "Get in the car. We're goin' to find yer brother."

Eddy doesn't need to be told twice. He races to the car, waving a quick goodbye and a 'see ya later' to Ed before climbing into the back seat. His parents join him shortly after thanking Grace for watching their children while they drove out this way. They start up the car and, within moments, they're off.

Eddy gives them directions as best he can. They can't take the car into the woods the same way he and the others had traveled, leaving Eddy and his parents to find a different route. It feels like ages to the boy. His knuckles are white as he grips the leather on his mother's seat. He dreads what will happen when they find Terry again. What will the man say? Would he try to twist it around on Eddy? Who would his parents believe? Given his brother's track record, Eddy doubts highly that they'd buy into whatever the abusive adult would say, but the anxiety is still there.

Finally, they pull up to the trailer. The lights illuminate the purple-painted metal and the door standing open. Eddy feels his heart drop into his gut.

The van's gone.

He doesn't wait for his father to stop the vehicle before racing out toward the trailer. Ignoring his mother's protests, he barges in.

"Bro!" he cries, "Bro, get out here, _now!_"

No response. There's no sign of life in the trailer at all. He runs down the hall. A peek in the bathroom. The plaid jacket is gone. To the bedroom. The light is still on, the sheets still strewn about, but no sign of an occupant. It looks as though the place had been abandoned for a couple of hours. After inspecting the trailer as thoroughly as he can, Eddy races back outside. Panic has taken him and he can't hold the tears back.

Terry's gone.

* * *

><p>Edd sat still the entire way home. His parents never glanced back to look at him and he could only look down at his hands as they rode home in silence. He looks up when light seeps into the window. Outside, he can see street lights, indicating that they had entered their small town. It won't be long before they reached the cul-de-sac. Soon enough, he watches as they quickly pass the familiar houses until they reach the Rethink Avenue.<p>

When they finally pull into the driveway, the boy feels no less upset. The car shakes as the engine cuts off, and his parents open their doors to step out. Unbuckling himself, he slips out of the car and looks up at his mother, wincing as she takes him by the arm. She leads him up the walkway as his father unlocks the door.

Once inside, she lets go of his arm and turns to look at him. She steps out of her shoes before slipping on her slippers. His father follows suit before heading for the kitchen. Before Edd can enter the house, his mother shoves the bunny slippers that had also been waiting by the door towards him

"Put these on your filthy feet," she demands, "so you do not soil the clean carpet."

He obeys the order, of course, and follows them further into the house after closing and locking the front door behind him. He follows his mother, a little hesitant as she approaches the stairs. She glances back over her shoulder at her son, motioning for him to hurry up. He rushes after her.

Following her upstairs, he's lead to the bathroom. She pulls out a towel from the closet after flipping the switch on along the wall, flooding the room with light.

"Run a bath for yourself, Eddward," she instructs, her tone hard and a bit sharp as she sets the towel on the counter. He winces a bit, but nods as she turns back to the door. "I will return shortly with a suitable change of clothes for you."

After she leaves, Edd turns the tap for the bath to start the water running. He tests the temperature until it's warm without being too hot. Closing the lid on the toilet seat, Edd sits down to wait. He swallows down the lump in his throat. The last few baths he's had have been far less than pleasant, but he feels to exhausted emotionally to remain upright in another shower. At least he can sit and relax for a while in the bath. A moment later, his mother returns, a set of folded pajamas and a fresh pair of bunny slippers resting in her arms. She places the bundle onto the counter before turning to him. She gives him a look that he can't describe. A mixture of sorrow, anger, and disappointment. With a sigh, she turns to step out of the room again.

"Clean yourself up, Eddward," she requests wearily, "You are absolutely _filthy._"

With that said, she shuts the door and Edd listens as she walks away. His heart sinks into his stomach and his shoulders slump as a wave of despair washes over him. His parents are absolutely _furious_ with him. He had hoped so desperately that they would give him the slightest bit of affection when they returned home, but he realizes now that it may have been a far-fetched desire.

Resolutely, he turns back to the tub and shuts off the water once it's reached a decent level. There's no use dwelling on that now. Perhaps after a bath, he can spend some time with them before bed? After slipping his hat off rather reluctantly, he turns his attention to the clothes, pulling the shirt off and unbuttoning the pants. The shorts slide down to the floor to pool around his ankles, the borrowed underwear following shortly after. Bending down, he picks up the discarded clothing and folds them before setting them aside.

He steps into the tub, the water sloshing around his body as he leans back, relaxing for the first time since his escape. Again, he find himself reminded of the baths he'd taken back at the trailer. A shiver races up his spine and he feels a wave of nausea accost him. He shakes his head of such thoughts to banish them from his mind as he grabs the bar of soap. Washing himself would prove the perfect distraction. Lathering his hands, he begins the tedious task of scrubbing himself down.

His hands shake as his fingers graze over the numerous bruises that cover his body. He follows the trail as they travel lower and lower. When his gazes reaches the large gathering of bruises at his hips, the memories accost him. He doesn't even realize that tears have started to fall down his cheeks as he begins washing his skin rather harshly. _Filthy! Filthy! Filthy!_

_Sounds like your folks don't give a damn either way if all they do is get pissed at you for stupid shit like that…_

Edd flinches as Terry's voice echos through his head and he stops scrubbing. His skin aches and has turned a bright red. He brings his knees up to his chest, hands reaching up to grab at his hair. He tries to forget those cold, cruel words as the tears fall faster.

_If your folks cared so much, you wouldn't be worrying about cleaning up after yourself when you run away from home…_

Edd stifles his cries as he tries to comfort himself. _Terry can't hurt me…_His heart is racing as he tries to reinforce his own thoughts. _I'm home. I'm home…Safe and sound and far…far away from that horrible man._

Terry's voice won't stop ringing in his ears.

_Your parents ain't comin' for you — if they even know or care that you're gone…_

His parents _had_ come for him though. They had come for him and brought him home to safety. Their disappointed faces flash in his mind, making those positive thoughts diminish. They didn't _act_ like they cared. In fact, he recalls that it seemed more like a burden for them. Perhaps Terry had been right…? The mere thought makes him even more miserable.

He's more sluggish in his movements as he robotically returns to washing himself. Once he's thoroughly scrubbed clean, Edd rises from the tub and drains the water. He dries himself off slowly before pulling on the pajamas that were left by his mother. He slips the new bunny slippers back on before tidying up the bathroom.

Gathering up the dirty clothes and soiled bunny slippers, he turns the light off and exits the bathroom. He makes a quick detour down the hall, depositing the clothes and slippers into his designated laundry shoot. Once he's laundered the garments, he'll be certain to send them back to that lovely woman in the trailer park with a well-written thank you note.

He retreats to his room for a moment. On the bed, he sees the suitcase he'd prepared before their excursion and the clothing he'd set out have gone. A quick glance into his closet and dresser drawers solves that mystery, revealing them to have been neatly stored away. The mass of notes he'd been writing, only to fold up and discard, are also gone. It would seem that, in his absence, his parents had cleaned up here too. There _had_ been a mess when Ed had barged in. He supposes they must have assumed everything else to have been part of that clutter.

With a sigh, he retrieves a new hat before leaving the room again. He slowly makes his way downstairs, where he's sure his parents are waiting for him. On his way down, he wonders just what he'll say to them. He knows he has to reveal what Terry had done to him. Knows he'll have to make them aware of the extent of his abuse. But how?

His heart drops into his stomach when he enters the living room.

Empty.

He peeks into the dining room and the hallway before entering the kitchen where the light has been left on. Opening his mouth, he begins to call for them, stopping only when he spots a piece of paper on the table. He walks towards it, despair bubbling in his chest as he recognizes what it is. Despite the many covering the walls and various appliances, this one looks very out of place. He barely manages to suppress the soft whimper as he picks up the sticky note.

_Dear Eddward,_

_We've returned to work. Eat something and go to bed._

_Mom & Dad_

The note slips from his hands as it sinks in. His parents hadn't even bothered to stay home with him. To make sure he was okay. To reassure him that he was loved. Tears cascade down his cheeks as he slumps down to the kitchen floor, burying his face into his hands and weeping loudly.

* * *

><p>Eddy is glaring out the window, seething as his folks drive back towards the cul-de-sac. Terry had run off and was out there somewhere. It infuriated him knowing that that smug bastard had gotten away. He grits his teeth as he thinks of all the pain Edd had suffered at the hands of his lecherous, abusive brother. It would make him sick if it didn't make him so angry.<p>

His father had ranted for half of the journey after leaving the trailer, but has since resigned himself to driving in silence. Though, he has a feeling that hush can be attributed to him asking why they and the other parents hadn't called the police when they'd first realized their children were gone. After a few weak excuses, the two adults had lapsed into quiet. Eddy had accepted none of their words, leaving him feeling slightly resentful.

His mother glances back at her son through the mirror. She's just as upset as she is, knowing that her eldest had run off and could be dangerous. She wants to offer him comfort – that one day he would pay for his crimes – but a part of her finds it difficult to think so ill of one of her children, even after everything Terry had done.

As they enter the cul-de-sac, Eddy takes in the surroundings. His eyes glance over all the cars parked in the driveways, indicating that all of his friends had made it home safely with their families.

Well…almost all of them.

His eyes land on Edd's house before growing wide in horror upon seeing the empty driveway. Lights are on in the house, suggesting that someone is indeed home, but perhaps not everyone. His blood boils. _They wouldn't!_

The car pulls into his driveway and Eddy hops out before his parents can. His mother cries out in shock as her son begins to run towards Edd's house.

"Eddy!" she shouts, placing her hands on her hips, "you get back here right now!"

"I'll be right back, mom!" Eddy cries back without stopping, "This is important!"

He continues towards his friend's house, racing up the empty driveway before reaching Edd's front door. His fists are shaking as he knocks on the wood and as he waits for an answer. When he receives none for a few moments, he knocks again. This time he hears footsteps approaching before a tiny voice calls out to him.

"_Wh-Who's there…?_"

"It's me, Eddy," the shorter boy answers, brow furrowed.

Eddy can hear the sigh of relief before Edd opens the door.

"G-Greetings…Eddy…" he stutters.

Biting his lip, he averts his gaze in thought; uncertain if he should let his friend inside. His parents would be most upset, he imagines, but if he doesn't, Eddy probably won't leave.

With a sigh, he decides there's no harm in letting him in and steps aside. Eddy shuts the door behind him, glancing around the room. He finds himself lost in disbelief with this confirmation that Edd's parents are gone. Anger is quicker to take him. To think they would just leave their son home alone after what he's been through. That they wouldn't bother to stay with him while he's suffering. It makes him sick.

He clenches his fists in anger before turning to look at his friend. It's now that he can spot the dried tears visible on Edd's face, along with his swollen, red eyes. The boy had been crying again. Stepping forward, he embraces Edd, who tenses up some. It takes a few moments, but the taller boy finally returns the gesture and Eddy can feel his friend sniffle and shiver.

"Where are your parents, Sockhead?" Eddy asks, pulling away to look his friend in the face.

Edd looks down, the sadness seeping into his eyes only serving to infuriate his companion.

"I…I'm afraid they…they had to return to work," he answers softly as he rubs away the tears threatening to fall again, "Th-They left me a note…"

"They didn't even bother to stay with you?!" Eddy gawked, his voice raising in volume as he stared at his friend incredulously, "Even after you told them what Terry did to you?!"

Edd sighed weakly, eyes locked on the ground in his shame; "I-I didn't tell them…"

Eddy looks stunned before the anger returns, flashing across his face.

"Why the hell not?!" he demands.

"I didn't have a chance…" Edd answers, "They left before I could. And even if they hadn't, I doubt I'd have been able to…"

"The heck do you mean?"

"I don't want them to be more disappointed in me than they already are…"

"Edd, c'mon!" Eddy groans, "They're not—"

"Eddy, they barely _looked_ at me on the way home!" Edd cries out as tears blur his vision. His shoulders slump down as he clutches at his hat. "They're so disappointed in me. So upset. I…I don't think I can bear any more of it if they were to discover what…what Terry did to me…What he made me do…"

Edd trails off and Eddy can only listen as he friend sobs his answers out. His anger ebbs as he acknowledges the obvious: his friend is hurting deeply. His parents hadn't even bothered to care for their child after they'd returned home. Hadn't even bothered to comfort their son who now believed that they hated him. So terrified was he of their rejection that he doesn't feel that he can even reveal what had happened to him. The emotional trauma is too great. He briefly considers informing Edd about Terry's disappearance, but decides it's most certainly not the best time for that. He couldn't bear to upset the boy any further.

Realizing that words are useless, he pulls his friend in for another hug, rubbing Edd's back gently in an effort to reassure him. It did nothing to quell his anger, of course, and inside he was still raging over the injustice Edd has faced. _Damn them. Damn Terry! Edd doesn't fucking deserve this!_

When Eddy felt Edd calm down, he let the other pull away from the hug.

"Y'know, you can always stay with me for the night…" the shorter boy offers softly.

Edd shakes his head in denial; "Thank you for the offer, Eddy, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I feel that Mother and Father would only be that much angrier if I did that…"

Eddy watches disappointed as his friend rubs his eyes before reaching up to wipe the tears from his cheek. Edd winces as Eddy places too much pressure on one of the bruises. A thought occurs to the shorter boy, who digs around in his pocket for the bottle he'd taken from Terry's trailer.

"Did they even care that you were in pain?" Eddy asks as he grabs Edd's wrist and places the bottle in his hand, "Did they even give you anything for it?"

Edd's eyes are wide as he looks down at the bottle before he trying to hand it back to his friend.

"Eddy, we've been over this," the taller boy nearly whimpers, staring at him pleadingly, "I can't take these!"

Eddy's hand returns to Edd's face, gently touching the hatted boy's cheek.

"Just hold onto 'em, okay, Edd?" Eddy urges, "At this rate, you might need 'em." Eddy glances to the door. "I better get going…My folks'll come looking for me if I don't get home right away." He pauses, looking over Edd's face. Averting his gaze, he grasps the taller boy's hand. "I care about you, okay, Edd? Even if you think they don't. I do."

Leaning up, he places a soft kiss to Edd's cheek before retreating to the door.

"I'll see you later…"

With that said, Eddy walks out the door to head home, leaving his friend to gaze down at the bottle, lost in his grief.

* * *

><p><strong>D<strong>**uoXKouga: Leave a review/comment and we'll see you all in the next chapter! BYE-BYE!**


	15. Actions Speak Louder Than Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

* * *

><p><em>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<em>

_Authors' Notes:_

_DuoXKouga: Well, would you look at that? An update within a month. Go US! Well, here's Chapter 15! ENJOY!_

_Battygirl: Alright! We actually got it updated WITHIN a month! Yay! Not a lot else to say with this one. We hope you enjoy it._

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><p>Chapter 15: Actions Speak Louder Than Edd<p>

Once the medicine was safely hidden away where he knew his parents wouldn't discover it, Edd had returned to his bedroom, prepared to settle down into a restless slumber. He pulls the covers up, making himself as comfortable as he can.

It takes him several minutes of tossing and turning before his eyes finally close slowly and his mind calms.

* * *

><p>Edd gasps softly as he awakens in a panic. Sitting up, he looks around, eyes wide in horror as he takes in the detail of the room he was in. <em>No…No, it can't be!<em>

He brings his arms up to hug himself and gasps, realizing he's free of the restraints that Terry had originally kept him in. His attention is drawn to the door which is standing wide open. He strains his hearing, attempting to detect whether or not Terry might be lurking somewhere.

Hearing nothing, he slowly makes his way off the bed and pads his way to the door. He peers down the dimly lit hallway, finding it empty. Taking a shaky breath, he begins to walk toward the living area of the trailer. He places his hand against the wall to maintain his balance, keeping his pace slow and careful. Each step is careful and calculated in an effort to remain silent. He feels like a timid rabbit approaching the big bad wolf.

Passing the bathroom. Edd forces himself to avoid looking inside as he continues on his way, running his hand along the wall. His eyes drift to glance at the wall for a brief moment and he flinches as something there catches his gaze.

He yanks his hand away from the wall, startled. Panic grips him again as he realizes that the substance smeared there is now on his palm and fingers, which he rubs together in an effort to determine what it is. Turning himself toward the light, he recoils in horror as he recognizes the red liquid staining his hand.

_**Blood.**_

There's blood on his hand and he doesn't even realize he's begun to hyperventilate until he's pressed against the opposite wall, his soiled hand wiping furiously against the plaid shirt he's still barely clothed in.

It hits him in that moment that he can't stop here. Terry may return at any time and he would be in a world of trouble if he was found in the hallway and out of the man's bed.

Pulling himself together, he continues down the hallway. His eyes grow wide in fear as he gets a closer look at the walls. Bloody hand prints all over the hall. Edd brings his hands up to cover his mouth, stifling a cry as he enters the living room. The tears come fast as he perceives the gruesome sight before him. He screams in horror.

Ed's head is laying sideways on the floor near the kitchen, eyes rolled back into his skull and blood seeping from the open mouth. His body has been discarded near the coffee table, his limbs twisted at such an odd angle and Edd isn't sure if such damage had been done before the decapitation or if the poor boy had still been alive to ensure the torture.

"_Edd…!_"

He jumps, startled by the hoarse voice crying out for him. Looking around the room, he spots a hand reaching out from behind the couch. His chest is tight as he makes his way slowly towards it. He has no way of knowing what's waiting for him.

A choked sob is all he can manage when he discovers Eddy, bleeding from so many injuries all over his body. He's lying on his stomach and appears to have been trying to crawl toward the hallway. There's a fairly large pool of blood beneath the boy, which stains Edd's knees as he kneels down and grabs the boy's hand. Tears cascade from his eyes as he tried to warm Eddy's cold flesh. Eddy weakly raises his head up, relief flooding his face as his eyes meet Edd's.

"Edd…" He rasps, giving Edd's hand a weak squeeze, "you…you're okay…"

Edd winces, surveying the deep gash across Eddy's neck. He nods his head as tears fall relentlessly from his eyes. Eddy coughs, blood dribbling from his mouth.

"Oh, Eddy…!" Edd weeps softly, clutching his dear friend's hand, "I…I'm so sorry…This is all my fault…I'm sorry…s-so sorry…"

Edd feels his heart throb as he notices that Eddy's hand has gone limp. He can hardly contain the sobs that slip past his lips as he realizes that Eddy has passed away in front of him.

He places Eddy's hand down on the floor and glances at his face. Shaking fingers delicately close the lifeless, blue eyes. He rises onto quivering legs resolutely. _I have to get out of here. I have to get out of here!_

Stumbling towards the front door. His fingers curl around the door knob. The door opens. Hope fills his chest, mingling with the sorrow weighing him down. Hope that he'll finally be free from this agony, but sorrow knowing he's alone in his victory.

Before he can even take a step outside, the door slams shut suddenly, earning a scream from him. He felt the heavy presence behind him. Cold fear courses through his body, paralyzing him as warm breath tickles his ear. He can feel the larger body behind him. A knife, dripping with blood enters his line of sight, making him cringe. A hand gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind his ear, his body flinching against the blood smearing onto the side of his face.

"_Oh, princess…_" he hears Terry purr to him, "_Look what you made me do…_"

* * *

><p>Edd jolts upright, his mouth opened in a silent scream and sweat covering his face. His eyes are wide in panic and he's shaking as his eyes dart back and forth around the room. Dark, but his surroundings are his own. His own bedroom. His own bed.<p>

He slowly calms when he began to realize that he's safe. He's home and Terry can't get to him. Desperate to solace himself, he repeats the words over and over again in his head. _I'm safe. He can't get me. I'm safe. He can't get me. I'm safe. He can't get me…_

Sitting up, he pushes the covers back, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. He rises slowly onto his quaking legs before stumbling to the door and exiting the bedroom. Without hesitation, he heads straight for his parent's bedroom. He slows to a stop before he can arrive. Their bedroom door is open, confirming the lack of occupants therein. The loneliness washes over him like a cold shower.

_Of course, they're not home yet…How silly of me…They won't be home for hours, most likely…_He acknowledges almost bitterly to himself.

He hugs his arms to comfort himself. Resolutely, he trudges back to his bedroom. After entering the room, he switches on his beside lamp and scours the many books on the shelf. He has no interest in going back sleep just yet. Best to distract his thoughts with a pleasant read. With a small smile, he chooses a book on floriography and brings it back to his bed. Settling himself in, he opens the book to a random page.

For nearly half an hour, he reads about the so-called 'language of flowers'. He'd picked it up on a whim during that sale of recycled books from the library, but hadn't so much as glanced at it until now. It's somewhat interesting, he must admit, but perhaps not the most engaging for him personally.

Drowsiness finally begins to consume him. He yawns, closing the book. He tucks it away back into the shelf before turning the lamp off. Snuggling back down into his pillows and blanket, he tries to comfort himself with his mantra, letting the words echo in his mind as he drifts to sleep.

Terry isn't here…I'm safe…I'm home…

_I'm safe…_

_I'm home…_

* * *

><p>Edd's disoriented as he wakes, whimpering softly. Blinking his eyes open, he's consumed with despair as he finds himself in the familiar room again. He hears footsteps and his breath hitches in his throat, a cold feeling in his chest as his eyes land on Terry, who is nearing the bed.<p>

Panicking, Edd tries to move back away from the man, but finds he can't move far. Dread consumes him upon discovering the shackles back on his wrists. The chains have been shortened so that he can't move more than a few inches.

In a weak attempt to at least keep an eye on his captor, he returns his attention to Terry. The man smirks maliciously at him, knife at the ready. Edd can feel himself tremble as he watches the man twirl the blade in his hand and as he paces around the bed. The boy is reminded of a lion stalking a wounded gazelle. He swallows the lump in his throat as Terry chuckles. The man's hands are covered in dried blood, some of which is also spattered on his shirt and slightly on his face. The knife gleams red in the light and Edd flinches as a scream echoes in his head. He whimpers softly as he curls up, trying to make himself look as small as he can.

"If only you'd just been a good little boy…" Terry notes absentmindedly as he turns his head to look at the boy. He stabs the knife into the wood of the door, the _thud_ making Edd cringe and close his eyes. "I wouldn't have had to hurt them."

Edd hears the sound of something flopping to the ground and feels the weight shift on the bed. His eyes snap open and he jerks his head up to see that Terry has begun to crawl towards him, that predatory grin alight on his lips. He can see that the man has removed his shirt. He comes to a stop, hovering over the boy.

Terry tilts his head down towards the boy's neck. Edd whimpers, shivering at the feeling of the man's tongue against his skin. Soon, those sinful lips follow and he can feel the man begin to add another hickey to the many on his neck.

"If you'd just been good for me…" the man purrs as he moves across the boy's throat to nip at his flesh, "I wouldn't have had to hurt your little friends…" The boy shivers as a jolt of pleasure shoots up his spine. "Face it, sweetheart…Your parents don't care about you…" Another nip. "And all your friends are dead…" A long lick. "All because…" He whimpers at the harsh sucking, "_…_you were…" Edd cries out in pain at the sharper bite, "…a _bad_ little boy…"

The boy releases whimpering little gasps and moans as Terry drags his lips down his neck to his collar bone. He gives a soft whine of pain as the man bites down hard. The man smirks against his skin as he gives a harsh suck.

Terry pulls away from the boy, leaning back and sitting with his legs spread. Edd can't help the blush that colors his cheeks a faint pink upon seeing the man shirtless. The man grabs the boy's wrists, taking the chains from where they'd been latched to the bed and tugging the boy forward into his lap.

The preteen is startled by the sudden movement, but has no time to recover before his lips are captured in a rough kiss. He lets out a gasp, giving Terry the chance to let his tongue snake into his mouth. He places his hands on the man's chest to support himself.

Terry's hand slithers up one leg and Edd trembles as he feels the man caress his thigh. The other tangles itself into the boy's hair, jerking his head back so the man can have access to his neck once again. Edd bites his lip in pain as the grip on his hair tightens, giving a soft cry.

Terry grins wickedly down at him as he probes the boy's hole. Edd's eyes are wide in shock and he attempts to writhe away as the man slides his finger in deeper. Another finger joins the first, making the boy wriggle his hips against the discomfort.

Stars dance across his vision as Terry's fingers rub against that most delightful spot inside of him and Edd can't help but surrender to the pleasure he's being given. Terry chuckles softly as he continues to thrust his fingers into the pliant body beneath him.

"Easy, Princess…" Terry hums, casting Edd a chilling smile as he lays the boy on his back. Edd watches, trembling, as the man rids himself of his pants. The boy's legs are spread wide as he's pulled into the man's lap and as Terry positions himself at the tight hole. "This is where the _real_ fun starts…"

His eyes snap open, desperate to escape the horror of his mind. He's drenched in sweat as he jolts upright. Green eyes dart around the room again in search of his assailant.

Darkness. Silence.

He heaves a sigh of relief. Alone. He's alone. Safe in his room. Breathing still shaky, he glances back at his pillow and spots his hat. Turning himself, he reaches to grab it.

He's startled, however, as a jolt shoots up his spine. His eyes are redirected down his own body, lower and lower before reaching his groin. With a blush and a startled whimper, he spots the cause of his discomfort. In his panic as he awoke, he hadn't noticed his own arousal. Shame bubbles within him as he raises his knees in a feeble attempt to shield nonexistent eyes from his erection. Another jolt of what he now identifies as pleasure surges through him. He shivers.

He tries to ignore it, tries to lie back down and curl up on his side. Perhaps if he sleeps it will just go away? Maybe if he pretends the problem isn't there, it will stop?

No good. He can't get comfortable and every movement he makes elicits a whimper from him as a painful pleasure consistently disturbs his efforts. He feels sick with the realization that he must tend to his urges.

With a weary sigh, he drags himself from the bed. His fingers wrap around his hat, snagging it before rising to his feet. Not here…He can't do it here…Pulling the hat over his head, he fumbles around in the dark before finally finding his robe, which he pulls on with shaking hands.

Opening the door as silently as possible, he peeks out of the room. The hallway is dark and the house is silent. Biting his lip, he deems it safe and slips from his bedroom, padding his way to the bathroom. Upon reaching his destination, the door is shut fast, but quietly behind him and immediately locked.

He feels the wall blindly for the light, but pauses as his fingers meet a slip of paper. One of the many _many_ sticky notes decorating the walls. A single note flashes in his mind, making the nausea intensify.

_Don't touch yourself._

Bowing his head in shame, he lowers his hand again. He doubts he can stand to do this in proper light. For that matter, he doubts he can do this at all. His parent's disgusted faces replace the mental image of the sticky notes, compounding his anxiety. It's not enough to alleviate his current predicament, however, as his member gives an impatient throb, reminding him of his persistent need.

Swallowing his unease, he pushes himself from the door and walks further into the bathroom. He reluctantly pulls the zipper down his one-size-fits-all pajamas and steps out of them. Before doing anything else, he folds them up and sets them on the counter, followed shortly by his underwear. Now bare, he begins to fidget. Uncertainty halts his movements as he fights to understand what to do. He's never done anything like this before for fear of the consequences should his parents catch him. The only experience he's had was with…

He grimaces as the memories accost him. Terry's lips latched onto his skin. His fingers working their sinful magic on his hips and thighs. The lustful words hissed into his ear as those hands moved to wrap around his cock; urging him closer and closer to release. A shiver slithers down his spine. The memory of the man's touch alone is enough to make the pleasure pulse through him.

Biting his lip, he carefully lowers himself to his knees. As much as it sickens him, he needs to do _something_ to relieve his need and he's got little experience to draw from to stimulate him. He considers briefly imagining Eddy instead, but cannot bring himself to do so. His shame is already too great knowing he will be envisioning his best friend's cruel, abusive sibling doing these unspeakable things to him. To imagine Eddy in his stead is too much. His hands are shaking and hesitant. Shamefully, he closes his eyes to indulge in his memories.

On the man's bed amidst the dingy sheets in the dimly lit bedroom of the trailer. Writhing in want before his tormentor. Terry's grin as the man bears down on him, observing him carefully without touching him. He pictures Terry's large hand tracing up his side. He mirrors the act, his too small fingers ghosting over his quivering flesh. He imagines the man's lips against his neck and he gently presses his fingers over each area of skin. His thumb moves slowly, languidly over his neck and he fantasizes Terry's tongue doing the same. With his other hand, he trails down to his inner thigh, imagining the man doing the same. The fingers over his neck drift upward to his lips, to mimic the long, sinful kiss the man would surely pull him into.

His fingers graze his throbbing need and he shudders. The visions in his head are proving effective. Breathing heavily, he wraps his hand around his erection, whimpering softly. As he begins to move his hand in shaking strokes, he pictures Terry leaning in to whisper filthy things into his ear.

_How does it feel, my little princess…?_

Edd bites his lip harder – almost enough to break the skin again – to prevent the sounds desperately trying to escape him. He wants to deny the pleasure. To deny that his memories of that horrible man are what are providing such pleasure. In his mind, and as he so often would, Terry isn't willing to accept his silence.

_C'mon, sweetheart…Tell me how good it feels…_

The hand on his neck moves a bit lower over his chest. He remembers when Terry would touch him there too. Tender, yet abrasive, as though to ensure Edd would feel the utmost ecstasy. The hand around his cock begins to move faster as his need grows stronger. His whimpers are slipping past his lips, despite his efforts to stifle them.

_Louder…I want to hear you, my little princess. Let me hear you wanting me._

He curls over some as he begins to notice a distinct ache in his knees, and uses his free hand to support himself in hopes of the new position offering some semblance of comfort. As he grows closer and closer to that sweet release, his arm begins to grow weaker and weaker. He lowers himself further until he's leaning on his elbow while still somehow remaining on his knees. Desperately, he bites into his wrist to silence his moans.

Terry's laughing rings in his ears. His cruel fantasy is clearly entertained by Edd crumbling before him. _How pretty you look like that, Girlfriend._

It feels like his entire body is quaking. His legs want to give out from beneath him. His arms are tired from the exertion. So close. He's so close! Squeezing his eyes shut tighter, he focuses his efforts on reaching his climax. The laughter in his ears has dwindled to chuckles. He can hardly take much more of it. He just wants this to end…

"T…Terry…" he whimpers breathlessly.

He imagines Terry's lips along the shell of his ear, the man grinning deviously. _Cum for me, my little princess…_

Edd whimpers, sinking his teeth into his wrist again to silence his cry. His body is tense as he's overcome by his orgasm.

He pants as the unyielding pleasure begins to wane. His limbs feel like gelatin as he slumps onto his side on the floor. It's silent save for his heavy breathing. Lying limply, he nearly drifts off to sleep, so relaxed is his body.

A chill up his spine keeps him from slipping away. He opens his eyes, though it does little to aid him. The darkness surrounding him has ebbed only slightly upon growing accustomed to it. The moonlight peeking through the curtains provides some light as he sits up wearily. He glances shamefully at his hand, soiled with his own release.

Terry's voice continues to echo in his mind, taunting him. _You seemed to enjoy that, Princess…_

He gulps down his nausea. He looks around desperately in an effort to ignore the sinister words before scrambling to the sink. Standing on weary legs, he uses his clean hand to turn on the water. Grabbing the bar of soap, he begins scrubbing frantically at his hands. The longer he does so, the hotter the water becomes until it is scalding.

He pays it no mind. Tears sting his eyes.

_Because you know you're mine…_

The boy whimpers, bringing his hands up to cover his ears, ignoring the suds and water that are then mashed into his hair.

"M…Make it stop…" the boy begs as softly as he can.

_Can't fight it, Princess…_He falls to his knees again, tears trickling down his cheeks. _You may think you're home…safe and sound…_

"Stop it!" he whimpers.

_But you'll always belong to me…_

Curling in on himself, Edd sobs, trying to be quiet. He has no way of knowing if his parents are home, but he doesn't want to risk them hearing him if they happen to be. They can't know what he's done. He spends several moments, trying to calm himself.

When his sobbing finally dies down to silent weeping, he lifts himself up again onto his knees. He has to clean himself up. A shower is, unfortunately, out of the question. Instead, he wets a washcloth under the running water. It would have to do. After ridding his body of any remaining residue, he turns off the tap and retrieves the cleaning supplies beneath the sink. He turns his attention to the ejaculate that had fallen to the floor beneath him.

Focusing on cleaning is enough to ease his frazzled nerves for the moment and, when the task is done, his hands are no longer shaking as badly as they had been. He pulls his clothes back on after putting the supplies in their proper place.

Exiting the bathroom, he makes the weary trek back towards his bedroom, trying not to reflect on the shameful act he'd just performed. Down the hall, a light beneath one of the doors catches his eyes, startling him. In the silence, he hears the voices of his mother and father. They _are_ home! Tearfully, he changes route, making a beeline for their door. Can it be? Are they home for the night? Can he finally receive the comfort he's in desperate need of?

Upon reaching their door, he raises his hand to knock.

"_I know you're upset…_"

He pauses at the sound of his father's voice.

"_Of course I am upset!_" his mother snaps back, "_After all the time we wasted today!_"

"_Is that really what's bothering you?_"

His brow furrows as a silence follows. He leans in a bit closer to hear what she intends to say next. Instead, his father speaks again.

The man sighs audibly; "_The fact of the matter is, he's home and he's safe._"

"_That does not mean this is over,_" his mother counters.

Edd feels his chest tighten in fear.

"_What are you talking about?_" his father asks.

"_We must determine his punishment,_" his mother clarifies.

"Punishment…?" Edd breathes, eyes wide.

He tries so hard to ignore the memories of his last 'punishment', desperate to hear more of the conversation between his parents.

"_Are you certain that's necessary?_" his father gawks, "_Surely the incident itself will deter him from running from home again?_"

Edd nods, as though the action would affect his mother's opinion in any way despite that she cannot see it.

"_With that horrible Eddy boy acting as influence, how can you be sure?_" she counters.

The boy pouts a bit. For her to blame Eddy is so terribly painful.

"_I'm certain the boys won't do this again,_" he hears his father sigh again, perhaps irritated, "_You saw the condition he was in when we arrived…_"

He's startled by that. They _had_ noticed…?

"_Regardless…_" his mother retorts, "_I believe it is best if we do not allow Eddward to spend any more time with that Eddy…or that other filthy friend of his._"

His father doesn't answer immediately, which Edd hardly notices in his hurt. Forbidden to see Ed or Eddy…?

"_We will also double his chores,_" she adds, startling him again.

"_I don't know about that, dear…_" he's grateful to hear his father's uncertain reply.

"_We must!_" and disappointed by his mothers assertion, "_If we keep him busy, he will not be able to think about leaving again. He will not spend any more time with those horrible influences. He will stay home and…_" there's a bit of a change in her tone which Edd cannot describe, "_and stay safe where we can monitor him._"

"_Monitor?_"

"_Yes,_" his mother explains, "_One of us shall remain here at home at all times to be sure Eddward does not leave this house without our permission again._"

Edd's hands ball into shaking fists. To be trapped in his own home. He acknowledges that most punishments have something to do with such confinement, but ultimately cannot accept further imprisonment. And for his parents to be the ones to lock him away…

He lifts his head a bit, hoping to hear his father defend him. To argue for a less severe discipline to be administered.

"_I suppose we can also work from home…_" It would seem he's inclined to agree with her instead, "_But do you really believe this is how we should approach this?_"

For a moment, Edd holds his breath for her answer.

"_Yes…_"

Another silence follows.

"_If we are going this far,_" father continues, sounding irritated, "_perhaps we should also change the locks and install cameras at the door?_"

"_That may be best…_" she agrees, "_Eddward must understand that what he did was wrong and that he must use better judgement. And I do not want that Eddy boy to come near him again._"

Edd can't hold the tears back. He holds out a weak hope that his father would put an end to this. That the man wouldn't allow this.

"_Perhaps you're right…_"

If there's anything else they discuss, Edd doesn't hear it. He's not sure what's worse; to be locked up in his own home or to be separated from his dearest friends. Either way, it's a deep, searing hurt.

Retreating back to his bedroom, he crawls listlessly beneath the covers, nuzzling the pillow in sorrow. Helplessness fills him, making the tears shed faster. They continue to fall until he finally drifts off to sleep.

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><p>Over the next few days, Edd is thrust into a slightly different routine than he's accustomed. His mother has indeed followed through with the threat of more chores, as his list has gotten considerably longer and more tedious. From dusting every visible surface in the abode to scrubbing every tile in each of the bathrooms twice; no duty is too extraneous.<p>

Despite having one of his parents – his father, more often than not – home at all times, he still has yet to reveal the extent of Terry's cruelty towards him. Though his father has proven himself slightly more lenient, both he and the boy's mother will not speak to him much more past relaying that day's chore list to him. It certainly isn't a rarity for him, but it does hurt some to feel himself incapable of confiding in them.

When home, either adult would often sequester themselves in their study while he completed his chores. He has no knowledge as the days pass if they had indeed installed the cameras by the doors as they had discussed, but it rarely mattered. The only times he would leave the house were to take any trash to the cans outside.

In those instances, he'd noticed that the cul-de-sac was virtually empty. A result of the mass grounding, if he had to guess. Once or twice, he had heard the children who had been punished less severely – namely Sarah, Jimmy, or Johnny – calling to him if they were to spot him. They'd usually say the same things every time.

_How are you holding up, Double D? Plank says you Eds are in more trouble than ever!_

_Are you okay now that you're home?_

_My brother won't stop blubbering about not seeing you and Eddy. Can he come by when he's not grounded anymore?_

He never answers any of their questions. Only nods to show he acknowledges their presence and apologizes before retreating inside. A quick glance back outside reveals that the children are miffed by the dismissal, but ultimately let it go for favor of whatever childish game they had in mind to play. It's for the best. Even the little he _did_ say to them could have easily landed him in more trouble.

And, of course, there's Ed and Eddy. He hadn't heard from either of them, save for Sarah's claims that Ed missed him and Eddy, since the day of his rescue. Concerning his shorter companion, he'd not heard any word on him. He imagines that the boy is serving some serious time for daring to track down his horrid brother.

The bottle Eddy had given to Edd the night they returned home has remained hidden away in his bedroom. During his more arduous days, he finds himself tempted by them. The pain from his ordeal has not faded in the slightest and the exertion he places upon himself to complete his chores is no doubt only hindering the healing process further.

The dreams haven't stopped either. The more gore-prone nightmares are far more rare and have only resurfaced once, much to his relief.

The sexual dreams, however, have become much more frequent.

Waking in the middle of the night, either aroused or filthy from his own release during the fantasies plaguing his fragile mind. Always feeling sick at himself, but still submitting to the pleasure. He could at least be thankful that his parents had ultimately left all of the laundry up to him, thereby keeping his secret safe.

After each dream, he begins to question more and more about himself. He remembers so clearly enjoying some of the things Terry had done to him. The memories of the way the man touched him were enough to send shivers through his being.

He isn't sure how to handle this revelation.

He would swear up and down that he had strong feelings for Nazz. He's just like nearly every other boy in the cul-de-sac; pining after the pretty girl who made his palms sweat and his heart race. But Terry had made him feel those things so much more intensely. Had given him pleasure he hadn't even dreamed possible. He tries so hard to comprehend what it might mean, but always comes up short.

Then there's Eddy. His heart hurts terribly at their separation but flutters at the very thought of him. Yes, he'd been severed from his dear friend – from both of his dear friends, for that matter – but it felt so much more painful than the disconnection with Ed. He wanted Eddy with him, to hold his hand and allow him to cry. To tell him he's normal and that it will all be okay.

Of course, this cannot be. At least until his punishment has ended and his mother's fury has ebbed.

Though, his shame does not end with his dreams. In his loneliness, in his isolation, he even begins missing Terry.

When he'd first come to this realization, he'd attempted to beat the very idea from his head. Sobbing, screaming at nothing and hitting his temples over and over until his father had raced to the bathroom where Edd had been cleaning to see what was wrong. A forced excuse of a spider startling him is just enough to sufficiently assuage the man, though his father gives him a suspicious look before returning to his work.

Lying alone at night, he attempts to rationalize such a ludicrous notion of missing his tormentor. He attributes it to Terry's constant presence. As cruel as the man had been, he had always been around to give Edd his full attention. Unwanted attention, of course, but attention regardless. Though the boy's parents are now a constant presence as well, their _lack_ of attention makes it far less noticeable compared to Terry's diligent watch over him; which Edd had grown accustomed to. With the absence of that company, despite how unpleasant it had truly been, he finds himself wishing to have it back.

He questions whether or not leaving the trailer had truly been the correct choice. Yes, he would have faced more abuse, but there would have at least have been some semblance of affection. Perhaps even something he could have grown to desire?

The very idea is enough to make the dreams all the worse. Terry's voice taunting him in his dreams that he loves the man. He denies it in his own mind and out. No, he hates him. Hates him more than he'd ever hated another person.

But that doesn't stop him from missing him. From craving the attention. From yearning to be held and coddled, even if it _would_ lead to painful intercourse. From regretting his decision to allow his friends to bring him home.

By the third day home, the boy is already reaching his limits. The pain and loneliness are truly becoming too much to bear. The bottle of pills Eddy gave him have begun to look more and more friendly. During his bath that night, he sits in the water in stoic contemplation, staring down at the bottle.

He wonders, vaguely, what it's like to die.

A jolt of fear grips his chest and sends an uncomfortable feeling through his extremities. It's a morbid thought. One he doesn't truly wish to entertain.

And yet, he thinks on it more. No more pain, both physical and emotional. No more longing feelings. No more loneliness. Just darkness.

He shakes his head at his own selfish thoughts. No. How cruel could he be? How deeply he would hurt his friends, his parents?

No. That's not the answer.

But he's quickly running out of viable options…

"_Eddward!_"

He's startled by his father's voice beyond the door.

"Y-Yes?" he stutters, hoping he doesn't sound too haggard.

"_You've been in there for nearly an hour,_" his father explains, "_And I haven't heard the water drain away. Are you alright?_"

"Y-Yes, father…" Edd replies, his voice shaking and laced with tears, "I…I'll be out in a moment."

He gasps softly as the handle jiggles. Curse his distracted mind! He'd forgotten to lock the door! He attempts to hide the bottle as his father enters the room, looking suspicious.

"Eddward, are you—"

Too late does Edd realize that he hadn't hid the bottle well enough. His father's eyes are locked on them. The man storms over to the tub and snatches the pills, reading over the label.

"Vicodin…?" he looks between the bottle and Edd, "Where on earth did you get this, Eddward?! Who gave this to you?!"

Edd shivers.

"F-From Terry's trailer…" he answers shakily, "B-But I wasn't going to do anything! I swear!"

His father's eyes shift from the bottle to settle on Edd. For the first time since the boy's return, the man is able to see the whole of Edd's injuries. Purples and yellows in ugly splotches on the pale flesh. However, the bruises themselves aren't what lights a fire within the man. Bruises on the boy's neck created, not with fists or fingers, but with lips and teeth. Contusions on the boy's hips and thighs, suggesting restraint.

Realizing that his father has seen the marks, Edd attempts in vain to hide them.

"P-Please!" he begs, unable to hold the tears back, "I-I'll be through in a moment!"

"Eddward, where did you get those bruises?" his father demands, his voice shaking.

The child curls further in on himself, too frightened to speak.

"Answer me, Eddward!"

He cringes as his father's voice gets louder.

"I…It's nothing," he whimpers, "P-Please…I'm alright…A-Allow me to finish my bath…_please_!"

The man doesn't respond. It looks as though he hadn't heard a word the boy said. His focus is instead directed to a most sickening consideration. The bruises on his son's arms and face look to be from physical abuse. That alone had been enough to incense him; that this horrid individual had been cruel enough to not only abduct his child, but then beat him. Now to see these injuries lower on the child's body. He feels sick at the very notion.

He takes a breath to calm himself. Getting angry will do nothing. He must take care of his son.

"Eddward, get out of the bath and get dressed, _now,_" he commands, turning away towards the door.

"What?" Edd pouts, "B-But why?"

The man whips around; "Do as I say!"

The boy shrinks back a bit, startled by his father's outburst. The man's look softens, drawing him to sigh.

"Just…do as I ask, Eddward," he requests wearily, "I'll be waiting downstairs. Be ready to leave immediately. Do not dawdle."

Edd's eyes are wide and full of terror as he watches his father exit the room. Leave? Where does the man intend to take him?

Ignoring his confusion for the moment, Edd drains the water and steps from the bath, drying himself off as quickly as possible. He wastes no time in pulling his clothes back on and securing his hat in place.

When he walks downstairs, he finds his father waiting for him and looking impatient. Spotting the boy, the man ushers him outside to the car sitting in the garage. It was a vehicle that was utilized by either of his parents when both needed transportation and could not share the main car.

After settling Edd into the passenger's seat, his father opens the garage door and revs the engine. With little hesitation, they pull out of the driveway. Edd barely notices the garage door lowering again before his father takes off. It's unlike his father to ever exceed speed limits, but it would seem that the man is most agitated and willing to ignore his personal reservations. It makes Edd quite wary of asking about their destination.

Fifteen minutes is all it takes to reach the desired location. Edd's heart sinks as they pull up to the building.

"Father…" he whimpers as they park, "P…Please…I assure you, it's nothing. Don't…Don't make me…"

"Come along, Eddward," his father interjects, unbuckling his seat belt before exiting the car.

Edd quakes as he follows suit, stepping from the car as well. His chest tightens again as he gazes up at the main building of the local hospital.

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><p><strong>DuoXKouga: Well, leave a review and we hope to have the last chapter up before the end of July! Thank you, guys!<strong>


	16. A Trouble Shared Is A Trouble Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong>

**The Ed's encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?**

**Triggers include Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

**Pairings include BroEdd and EddyEdd. Subtle Hints at other pairings, but BroEdd and EddyEdd are the main two that will be focused on it.**

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><p><em>This is being co-written by DuoXKouga and Battygirl.<em>

_Authors' Notes:_

_DuoXKouga: Whew! Happy One Year to us! We made it this far and we are not done either! Hopefully this story will come to an end soon! We hope you enjoy this new chapter and please leave us a review!_

_Battygirl: Kay so…remember at the end of the last chapter when we said we might be able to finish before the end of June? Yeah so…obviously that didn't happen. This is also not the end. While working on this chapter, it kept getting longer and longer. So…One more to go! Not even kidding here! We got one more chapter! Woo! A little over a year later! Go us! Anyway, I'm actually almost done with the next chapter. With luck, we might get it done within the week. However, we prolly won't post it right away. Unless, of course, you want it sooner? Please let us know if that's the case and we may be persuaded to post the final chapter sooner than later. For now, enjoy the chapter!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: A Trouble Shared Is A Trouble Edd<strong>

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><p>Contrary to what may be popular belief, Samuel Vincent despises hospitals. It isn't the cleanliness of the facilities, nor the sterility of the environment that irked him, of course – the state of his own household should be an indicator of his family's strive to maintain such an atmosphere. It's the clientele.<p>

He sits in the waiting room, leg bouncing as his foot taps impatiently. Surrounded by coughing patients and crying children. His association is with the people he encounters and the overall dour demeanor on every face. It's a sorrowful place to be.

This prejudice did not, however, prevent him from supporting his son's fascination with medical sciences. Quite the opposite, in fact. It always gave him a swell of pride to know that his son had such passion for a noble profession. It also gave him tremendous hope for the boy's future.

Or at least it _had_ before all of this ugliness had begun.

His mind is plagued with worry, making him increasingly more agitated with each moment he must sit here and wait for the doctor to return. Upon arrival and, after checking the boy in, the doctor had decided to examine Edd privately. The decision had been made due to Samuel's revelation in whispers to the medic concerning his suspicions of sexual abuse towards the child and Edd's own unwillingness to even speak in his father's presence. Therefore, the logical conclusion was for the doctor and his staff to survey the damage without the parent in the room (after gaining written consent from said parent, of course).

He worries, though, what will come of this. What it will mean for the boy's psyche. Children who have suffered as Edd has endure terrible, lasting effects. He's quite sure they will have no choice but to seek professional help. There are a lot of changes that will have to be made.

But those can wait. For now, he must focus on the task at hand.

A man beside him begins coughing hysterically and Samuel leaps to his feet in disgust. He rubs the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses aside as he feels a migraine coming on. No, sitting or standing around waiting will do him no good.

He wishes so terribly that Edd would have said something sooner about this, but the boy had seemed determined to keep this secret. Glancing up, he spots a pay phone. His eyes narrow in determination.

He needs answers. And he believes he knows where he can get them.

Resolutely, he storms over to the device on the wall. As he walks, he reaches into his back pocket for a packet of sanitary wipes – there's no chance he'll be touching this _filthy_ device without cleaning it first.

In his distraction, he doesn't notice the man walking towards the front desk. He grunts when he crashes into him. It doesn't send either man to the floor, but is certainly enough to anger the two of them. Samuel looks to him, opening his mouth to offer a reluctant apology. He's startled when he receives a cold glare before the man shoves him aside to continue towards the receptionist. The stranger is clutching his head, staggering some as he walks.

"Excuse you," Samuel snaps, drawing the man to glance at him again.

He looks no less angry as he sneers at him.

"Fuck off," he growls back before turning to the receptionist.

Samuel just barely catches him telling the poor woman that he needs a doctor immediately. Something about a head wound, headaches that won't stop. Samuel can hardly understand under his slurred speech.

Shaking his head, Samuel returns his attention to the pay phone. After thoroughly cleaning the device, he deposits the correct change and dials the number. He considers calling his wife first, but ultimately decides it's best to wait until he's received news of Edd's condition. Valerie is upset enough as is. It wouldn't do well to add to that by revealing he'd taken their child to a hospital under suspicions of sexual abuse.

The phone on the other end of the line rings once, twice, before a gruff voice answers.

"_Sampson residence?_" a man answers.

"Salutations, Tony, this is Samuel Vincent, your neighbor at the end of the street," Samuel greets tersely. A pause on the other end of the line has him elaborating. "Eddward's father."

"_Oh…_" Tony sounds surprised to hear from him, and apologetic in his tone, "_Sam…hey._" He clears his throat uncomfortably. "_You don't usually call. What's the occasion?_"

"I regret to report that I'm calling from the hospital," Samuel reveals, "And I'd like you and that son of yours to come here immediately."

"_The hospital?_" Tony echoes, "_Is everything okay? Why do I gotta bring Eddy?_"

"Because I'm concerned about Eddward and I need answers about his ordeal that he refuses to yield," Samuel retorts, "And I believe your son may be able to provide them instead."

"_Answers? About what?_"

"I'd rather not discuss this over the phone," Samuel states sternly, "Please, just bring your son immediately. I will explain everything when you two arrive."

There's a pause on the other end of the line. He hears the man sigh a bit.

"_Alright,_" he relents, "_We'll be there soon. Which hospital are you at, anyway?_"

Samuel attempts to give Tony a detailed list of directions, which Tony waves off upon hearing the street name. They bid each other a curt farewell before hanging up. Breathing deeply, Samuel turns back to the waiting room.

No more available seating, it would seem. He spies the rude man from earlier. It appears he's recruited the help of the woman beside him to write down his information. For a moment, Samuel is surprised, realizing that his head injury must truly be debilitating if he can't even fill out his own paperwork.

He observes, intrigued as the man stumbles to the receptionist to hand back the clipboard. Realizing how severe his condition actually is, the woman calls for an orderly and the man is escorted to an elevator to be taken to a higher floor. Samuel wonders if the man will be alright, but it doesn't last. A rude stranger isn't his priority. His son is.

Finally, the doctor he'd spoken to walks out to the waiting room. He has a morose expression as he approaches the worrying father. A weight settles in Samuel's stomach. He doesn't have to ask to know, but he can't help but ask anyway.

"What did you find out?"

The physician glances around at the crowded waiting room and gestures towards the hall.

"Perhaps this is a conversation best had in private?" he suggests.

Catching the seriousness in his tone, Samuel nods in agreement and allows the doctor to escort him away. They approach a room and enter. Samuel's surprised, having expected to see Eddward waiting for him. Instead, he finds himself in an office. He glances at the door, finally spotting the name on the plaque; Doctor D. Fitzgerald. M.D. The doctor explains before he can ask.

"We have your son waiting in a room upstairs," he reveals, closing the door behind him and escorting him to the desk, "I thought it best if I discussed things with you here first."

"Please," Samuel begs, "What's happened to him?"

The man takes a seat across him and sighs wearily.

"This is…difficult to say," he responds, "And always that much more difficult for a parent to hear. But…" He pauses, thinking carefully about his next words. "Along with the severe physical abuse over most of his body…we _did_ find evidence of sexual trauma."

For several long moments, Samuel feels as though the breath has been knocked out of him, causing him to sink down into the chair in front of the desk. He covers his mouth to prevent the barrage of curses that are threatening to burst from him. Rage. Sorrow. Horror. Guilt. He feels them all and nothing at the same time. While he seethes in silence, the doctor gives him a serious look.

"How did he end up in such a condition?" he asks.

"I didn't even know he was _in_ such a condition," Samuel snaps back before calming slightly, "At least not this severe a condition…Eddward didn't tell me…"

"What _do_ you know?" Fitzgerald asks, eyes narrowed slightly.

Samuel gives him a remorseful look, sighing some.

"He…was abducted from an amusement park about a week ago…" he reveals, "My wife and I had no idea he'd even left the neighborhood the day before that…We both work long hours and aren't home as often as we'd like to be. And Eddward often spends summer nights with his friends. It's not unusual for us to come home and he's absent." He thinks carefully over his words. "He'd…left a mess the day he and his friends had left the cul-de-sac. That was unusual, but still not enough for us to feel alert…We thought nothing of it. Just that he would be punished for leaving behind such disorder.

"A few days ago, we were informed of his abduction," he proceeds, feeling more and more guilty as his narrative continues, "We went to pick him up in a trailer park that he and his friends had taken refuge in. When we arrived, Eddward had bruises all over his face, his arms…We could see from his appearance that he'd been physically abused. But…"

He pauses. He doesn't know how to describe why they reacted the way they had.

"We were upset…" he explains, "The only response we could manage was…to make him understand that running away from home like he had was what got him in that situation. We wanted him to understand the dangers and keep them in mind no matter what. We wanted him to understand this so…so that it wouldn't happen again…"

He feels sick, realizing what their words must have meant to the boy. If only they'd known…If only they'd had an inkling…They wouldn't have…

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of this news…" Fitzgerald offers, regaining his attention, "and I realize this is most upsetting for you, but I would highly suggest attempting to calm yourself at least while you're talking to Eddward." Samuel furrows his brow, taken aback by the statement. "Your son is in a very fragile state. I understand that anger is the easiest reaction, but I would advise you to keep the child's needs first."

Samuel shoots him a glare, but nods in understanding. He still intends to get answers from Eddy and, hopefully, from Edd as well. Despite the doctor's expertise, he cannot bring himself to believe this revelation. It's too much. He needs to hear it from Edd. He glances at the man before him.

"I…I found him with a bottle of Vicodin earlier…" Samuel informs him, his voice soft and pained, "when I discovered the…possibility of sexual abuse." He pauses, eyes flitting about as he fights to calm himself, "I was afraid he would…would try to ingest the medication…"

Fitzgerald looks thoughtful for a moment as he processes this. Samuel gulps down the lump in his throat, returning his focus solely to the physician.

"He didn't…did he?" he asks shakily, "You didn't find any evidence of that, did you?"

"No, no," the physician answers, "Eddward showed no signs of having taken any medication – not that we'd even been looking for any. That's information we would have liked, though."

Samuel breathes a sigh of relief, glad to know the tragedy isn't as bad as it could have been. Before the doctor can comment further, Samuel speaks again.

"May I see my son now?"

"Of course," Fitzgerald nods, rising to his feet.

He escorts Samuel from his office and to the elevator. The ride to the next floor is silent and agonizing. Floor two. When the doors open, they step out. Fitzgerald leads Samuel to the correct room and reaches for the door handle.

When they enter, they find Edd conversing with a nurse beside him. She's got a sweet smile on her face, but her eyes reveal the pity and sorrow she's feeling for the boy talking so animatedly to her. He's asking about the equipment in the room – what models the hospital utilizes and reciting his own knowledge of medical practices.

"What a smart little boy you are," she commends, petting his head.

Edd beams proudly, drinking in the praise and attention. He seems to have let his own situation slip from his consciousness in this moment of relaxation. Fitzgerald clears his throat, drawing their attention. When Edd notices his father in the room, he shrinks in on himself.

"Mr. Vincent would like to speak with his son alone," he informs the nurse.

With that, she rises to her feet. Edd draws his knees up to his chest, looking suddenly uncomfortable in his hospital gown. After the doctor and nurse have left the room, Samuel approaches the bed where his son is seated, cowering.

"Eddward," he addresses him sternly, "I want you to tell me what that man did to you."

Edd tenses, his eyes wide and full of fear.

He tries to play it off; "I…I don't know what you mean…"

"You know _damn_ well what I mean!" Samuel snaps.

Edd flinches at his tone, drawing the man to breathe deeply to calm himself.

"Please, Eddward…" he sighs, "I need you to tell me what happened to you. I need to hear it from you."

The boy curls up some, hugging his knees tightly in a desperate attempt to comfort himself.

"N-Nothing happened…" he whimpered, "I swear it…P-Please…I'd like to go home…"

Edd can't bear to answer. He simply _can't_ reveal this to him. He _can't_ know.

Samuel, however, is incensed by his refusal to answer. He sighs, his hands clutching into fists as he realizes that this will truly be more difficult than he'd first imagined. But there's little option. He needs Eddward to explain to him what happened. He needs to know the extent of the abuse the boy has suffered.

And he _will_ get the answers the seeks.

* * *

><p>Tony Sampson approaches the sliding, glass doors. His imposing figure, standing close to six foot five and with a muscular build to his arms and shoulders, is hunched as he leads Eddy into the building. His face is unshaven and his clothes rumpled from a day that had originally been relaxing. Walking into the regional hospital with his son beside him, he knows just how formidable his appearance suggests him to be.<p>

He glances down at Eddy. The boy's eyes are searching frantically around him for Samuel's son – Eddward, if he remembered correctly. He approaches the receptionist and tries to give the small woman sitting behind the desk a warm smile.

"Good evening, sir," the nurse greets politely, "How may I assist you today?"

She's pretty young, he notices, with brown curls and baby blue eyes.

"I'm lookin' for Eddward Vincent," he responds.

He reaches a hand down to snag the back of his son's shirt as the boy tries to dart away to look on his own. A single glance at the squirming boy has Eddy going limp in his father's grip. Despite his submission, however, he crosses his arms; face drawn into a pout.

"Ah, yes…" the receptionist murmurs as she types something into the computer. A moment later, she takes a small card from a pile and a pen from the pocket on her shirt. She jots down something onto the card before handing it over to him. "Just take the elevator at the end of the hallway to the second floor. Take a left and his room should be the third door down."

Tony offers her a quick 'thank you' before leading the way down the hallway. Upon reaching the elevator, he presses the button and glances back down at his son. Judging by the boy's behavior, he realizes that, as soon as they arrive in Edd's room, it'll be damn near impossible to separate the two.

A _ding_ sounds, signaling the arrival of the elevator to their floor. As the doors open, he steps inside after his son, who darts in and presses the button for the second floor. Tony heaves a sigh, running one of his hands down his face as he realizes that he must prepare for his encounter with Samuel.

He must admit; that man has a lot of nerve to call him and his son out to the hospital like this – and so late. Tony had never truly gotten along with Samuel in all the time the Vincents had lived in the neighborhood. He can still remember when they had moved into the house at the end of the cul-de-sac and he remembers how excited his wife, Janine, had been to welcome the new family to the neighborhood.

If he remembers correctly, it had been because of Sam's wife, Valerie, refusing one of Janine's home baked pies – insisting that her baby shouldn't eat such 'filth' – that the families did not harmonize. Tony still remembers how angry Janine had been. Angry enough to have thrown the offending pie at Valerie in rebuttal before storming home.

However, this dispute had not stopped their sons from becoming close friends. Therefore, it stood to reason that the two families had little option than to put aside their differences for the sake of their children.

But the tension remained. Valerie was always the most vocal about it. Always asserting that her child should not associate with Eddy in the least. Always insisting that Eddy was a 'bad influence'. Generally, though, Tony had never really had a problem with the Vincents. He's just never agreed with how they raise their son.

Tony grunts as the elevator comes to a stop and he's quick to grab Eddy before the boy can try to run off again. Keeping a tight grip on the child, he leads the way to Edd's room, following the instructions given to him by the nurse. They reach a room with numbers matching those on the card.

The door is cracked, but before he can grab his son again, Eddy pushes the door wide open.

"Edd!"

Eddy's eyes search the room before they land on his friend, who is curled up with his knees to his chest. Without waiting another second, the shorter boy hurries over, nearly tripping over the equipment next to the bed. Despite how stunned Edd is by Eddy's appearance, he welcomes the embrace he's pulled into after Eddy clambers up onto his bed. He throws his arms around him as well, sobbing softly into his shoulder.

"Are you okay?!" Eddy demands, holding him away to look at his face, "Did something happen?"

"I'm fine," Edd asserts, "I-It's nothing…really…"

Eddy looks over his face, frowning.

"Ed wanted to come too," he sniffles some as he pulls Edd back into the tight hug, "But he's still under house arrest…"

Edd giggles softly at the joke, nuzzling his dear friend affectionately.

Samuel is standing by the window. He watches his son hug his small friend tightly and start crying. Guilt wells up in his chest for a moment. He hears the door shut and his eyes dart to focus on Tony, who has closed the door. The larger man glances over at the two preteens on the bed, hugging each other tight and crying happily at being reunited. He turns his attention to Samuel, who looks stunned and guilty. Crossing his thick arms across his chest, he waits, his eyes narrowed into a glare, for the slender man to speak.

"Greetings, Tony," Samuel greets softly as he twists his hands together nervously, "Sincerest thanks for arriving so promptly."

Tony can see that the other man is clearly distraught by something, leading him to sense that there's a serious matter to be discussed here.

"Eddward won't tell me anything about what happened to him…" Samuel continues, "And I didn't know who else could provide me with the answers but your son."

Tony glances over at Eddy, his eyes growing a bit wide as Eddy glances at Samuel. Edd clings tightly to Eddy, who then turns to look at his father in confusion. Samuel's shoulders are slumped wearily as he turns himself around to face the window. Tony moves towards him carefully.

"Sam, you wanna explain what's goin on, exactly?" the larger man asks as he reaches a hand up to scratch at his scruff on his chin.

Edd happens a glance at him and grows tense as he finds himself reminded of Terry. He hides his face in Eddy's chest, shivering uneasily. Tony's attention, however, remains on Samuel as he awaits his reaction.

It's so sudden that Tony is honestly startled.

Samuel turns around, tears in his eyes a he gestures to his son.

"Look at him!" he roars, his hands flailing some.

The shorter boy can feel Edd begin to shake as well. The sight of Samuel's rage is foreign and frightening. None of them have ever seen him lose control like this.

"Look what he did to my son!" the hysterical man screams as he glares at Eddy, pointing an accusing finger at the boy, "He did this! Now Eddward won't tell me what happened! I know that horrible son of yours has done something to Eddward and I know your youngest can tell me what it is! Either that or…or _he's_ done something to make Eddward refuse to answer me!"

Eddy's eyes grow wide in horror and shock as his mind processes the revelation that Samuel may have some idea about what happened to Edd. He feels sick. He may know what his brother did.

"I dunno what you're talking about…" Eddy snaps back weakly as he hugs Edd closer. He looks away so they can't see the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "I didn't do anything…I would _never_ hurt him…"

Samuel releases a strangled, frustrated cry as he throws his hands up in the air. The man is teetering on the edge of a breakdown. Tony moves to intervene. Before he can reach him, Samuel looks at his son carefully, stepping towards the boys.

"Eddward, please…" Samuel begs, "Tell me what that man did to you."

Edd shakes his head weakly, his knuckles white as he clings to Eddy. Tony grimaces and turns to Eddy.

"Eddy, what happened at that trailer?" he demands in his stern tone.

Eddy's attention darts to his father standing before him. He knows by that tone that the man's being very serious. He meets his dad's eyes, realizing he can't get out of this.

"I want the truth. Now," the man continues, "What did Terry do?"

Eddy's mouth opens and closes in his attempts to form the words to answer him. He feels a tug on his shirt and glances down at Edd. The tearful, green eyes are gazing back at him pleadingly. Edd shakes his head at him, silently begging him not to reveal what happened. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't bear the shame of his parents knowing.

When the two give no answer, Samuel slips further into his hysteria.

"Dammit, Eddward!" he snaps, tugging at his hair, "The doctor already informed me that you were molested. Now I demand you tell me what that man did to you!"

Tony's jaw drops, his eyes locked on Samuel in shock. No…No, he hadn't heard that correctly…Surely he hadn't.

Edd, however, has a very different reaction. His eyes are wide as fear grips him like a vice. He cannot hold back the sobs that tear from him as he buries his face in his hands. Eddy stares down at him, shocked by Samuel's outburst. He realizes then that he has no choice. Wrapping his arms around Edd's shoulders, he pulls him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Dee…" he murmurs into the weeping boy's ear. He turns his head towards his father with a grim expression, though he doesn't look up at him. "I…I'll tell you everything, okay? Just…don't blame him…It's not Sockhead's fault. You can…You can blame _me_ for it."

As he recounts what he knows, he keeps a firm hold around Edd's shoulders. He confesses to the two adults about the physical violence administered upon meek boy. The verbal degradation that stripped him of what little confidence he had clung to. Most importantly, Eddy reveals what he knows of the sexual abuse performed on Edd by his cruel older brother.

Samuel's face is drawn in horror and rage. He's pale as he absorbs everything described to him, detailing everything his only child had suffered at the hands of this…_monster_. He feels physically ill as he imagines the pain and fear the boy suffered. What sickens him most, he fears, is how little he still actually knows. Eddy is only revealing what he is aware of. As far as he can be sure, there are much more gruesome details that only Edd and his abuser are privy to.

Without hesitating another moment, he shoves Eddy aside, throwing his arms around Edd. He lets out a strangled cry at the knowledge that his son's innocence had been so cruelly ripped away from him in the worst way imaginable. He wretches at his own behavior. At his own ignorance. What kind of horrible father is he that he had not realized what tremendous pain his child was in?! He can think of nothing more to do than embrace the boy tightly in a desperate attempt to comfort him.

Tony, by contrast stands a few feet away, his body shaking in disgust and anger. He'd always known that Terry wasn't the perfect son, and even less of a model citizen, but to hear that his eldest would sexually assault a child and abuse him in the most horrible ways he could made his stomach churn in disgust. He can't bear to imagine how Terry could do such vile and twisted things to a child! _A child!_

Edd has broken down completely in his father's arms, sobbing out apologies as he clutches the fabric of his shirt in his feeble grip.

"P-Please!" he begs, "P-Please forgive me…I…I thought…I didn't want you and Mother to…to hate me any more!"

Samuel's eyes open wide as he pulls away from the hug. He studies the boy's face in shock. After a moment, he rises to his feet.

"I…I need to call my wife…" he stutters, stumbling from the room.

Tony glances at the two carefully.

"I should too…" he agrees, making a beeline for the door, "Should call Janine…Should…Should call…"

They don't hear what else he has to say as he shuts the door behind him.

Eddy glances back at Edd shyly as the boy hugs his arms weakly; the tears cascading down his cheeks.

"How could you, Eddy?!" he sobs, "How could you do that to me?! How could you betray me like this?! How could you tell them?!"

Eddy frowns, his shoulders slumping. Of course he knows that what he just told the two men would hurt his friend, but it couldn't be prevented. He has no intention of revealing this to Edd, but the fact stands that Terry is still out there. He doesn't know how this revelation will affect this fact, but their parents _need_ to know.

"Th…They're going to abandon me now…" Edd whimpers, "Surely they will…"

"What're you talking about?" Eddy questions.

"Once Mother…O-Once she finds out…" Edd stops, releasing a shuddering sob, "She'll be so ashamed…She and Father…Th-They'll never _speak_ to me again!"

Eddy reaches over to touch his hand.

"I'm still here, y'know…" he assures him.

"Mother and Father don't want me to spend time with you or Ed anymore!" Edd snaps back "After this…After this, they'll isolate me even more!"

Eddy sighs, wrapping his arms around Edd once more. He's not sure what he can say as Edd curls up beside him, hugging him back.

"Edd, I…I promise…" he mumbles, "I ain't gonna just leave you…Even if your parents act like a couple of uptight—" he stops himself from snarling a curse and takes a breath to calm himself. "I don't care what they say…I'll always be there for you."

Edd doesn't respond to this, too distraught to speak against what he believes is a lie. They sit in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying being together again. Eddy rubs Edd's back soothingly, making Edd calm down.

"You know…" the shorter boy mumbles, shyly.

He pauses, wondering if he should really say it.

No. No, he has to. Edd needs to hear these words from someone. Someone who means them. Someone who can express them with the utmost sincerity.

"You know I…I love you…right Sockhead?"

A smile finally makes its way to Edd's face and he clings tighter to Eddy.

"I love you too, Eddy…" he stutters with a sniffle.

It feels so good to finally say it. In the privacy of this room. Where no one can see or make either of them feel self-conscious. There's no romantic implication to the words, by any means. Just an understanding of the deep affection between the two of them. An understanding they could never state before for fear of the societal rejection. The rejection of their peers who would surely mock them.

But now they can speak freely. They can finally be open and honest. Can finally speak plainly how much they care for each other. Can finally confide how deeply they love each other and how badly they need each other to remain whole.

They wish, briefly, that Ed could be with them as well. A piece of them is missing without the larger boy at their side. They're not truly whole without him, after all. But it still feels right to keep this moment between the two of them for now. Ed's love had always been worn on his sleeve for all to see. Now, Edd feels that he and Eddy could perhaps come to do the same.

The moment ends too soon, though, when the door opens again. Samuel steps in first, followed shortly by Tony. Eddy pulls himself away from the hug, but doesn't move from his spot. Samuel crosses the room and takes a seat on the other side of Edd, so he does not move Eddy away. For several moments, he is silent, as though thinking about what he should say. Edd refuses to look at him, expecting a barrage of words conveying how horribly ashamed and furious the man is with him.

"Eddward," he begins softly. Edd chances a peak at him, surprised by his tone. "As of now…I rescind your punishment. I still expect you to complete your usual chores, but you will no longer have as many as we've been giving you." He turns to look at Edd carefully, finding his son gazing at him in awe. "And you may spend time with your friends again. Provided, of course, their parents permit it…Should they be serving their own punishments."

Tony nods; "You too, Eddy. Yer not grounded anymore…"

"Seriously?" Eddy gawks.

"Yeah…" his father shifts uncomfortably where he stands, "Your mother and I have decided that you uh…you been through enough. And we're pretty sure you ain't gonna do somethin' like this again."

Eddy shakes his head fervently. Of course not! Never…_ever_ again. The tears in Edd's eyes now reflect joy.

"D-Do you really mean it?" he sniffles, "I-I can really spend time with Eddy again?"

His father nods; "Yes, Eddward."

A wide, bright smile breaks out on the boy's face. He wraps his arms around his father's chest.

"Thank you!" he weeps joyfully, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Samuel gives a weary smile as he pats Edd's back, returning the embrace affectionately. Tony takes a seat in a chair near the bed, still looking distraught. Eddy watches him in silent uncertainty, waiting for him to do or say something…anything.

Instead, he remains silent. Eddy can only imagine what's going through his head. He can see the disappointment in his eyes. The mortification. The disgust. He looks like he's desperately trying to process everything, but can't bring himself to. It's too horrible. To know that his oldest son would be capable of something so…despicable.

Finally, he speaks, eyes locked on the tiles which have suddenly become so interesting to him.

"Eddy, why…why didn't you tell me about any of this sooner?" he asks.

Eddy bows his head ashamedly, rubbing his arm self-consciously.

"I dunno…" he answers with a shrug, "I guess I was waiting for Double D to say something to his folks about it first…'Sides…none of that happened to _me_. Doesn't…y'know…feel right talkin' about it…"

Samuel pulls away from the hug to look down at Edd.

"Eddward, why didn't _you_ say anything about this sooner?" he asks, "Your mother and I would've brought you here immediately if we'd known…We had no idea your injuries were so severe…"

Edd shrinks in on himself shyly.

"I…I was afraid…" he mumbles back, "I thought…I thought you and Mother would be…ashamed of me." He rubs at his eyes and the tears gathering there. "A-After all the things Terry…After all the things I let him do to me…"

"No, no, Eddward," his father chides gently, cupping Edd's cheek, "You're just a child. You didn't 'let' _any_ of this happen. You can't think that way. You understand this, don't you?"

Edd furrows his brow, giving the man a questioning look. Of course he understands, but that doesn't mean he agrees. Looking over his face, though, the boy can see how desperate his father is for him to concede. He nods, hoping to appease him. Samuel seems to accept this, petting his son's head gently before glancing at Eddy.

"I don't blame you either, Eddy…" he informs the boy, "After what you did for my son, the lengths you went to for him…I wouldn't dream of it."

Eddy shifts uncomfortably where he sits, his shoulders hunched some.

"Sorry I…still kinda started it…" he murmurs, "If I hadn't messed up our scam…and tried to find my brother…none of this woulda happened…"

"That does not make this your fault," Samuel counters, "The only person worthy of blame here is this brother of yours. He's the one who performed those…depraved acts on Eddward…" He glances at Tony. "I assume this man is in police custody, yes?"

Tony tenses considerably, his eyes wide as he snaps his attention to the other man. He licks his lips uncomfortably. Edd glances at him as well, concerned by his silence. Before the larger man can answer, the door opens.

"Samuel!" Valerie snaps as she enters the room, "Why is—"

"Where's my baby!" Janine cries as she pushes the smaller woman aside and barges into the room. She races to Eddy and grabs at his face and shoulders. "Are you oaky, sweetie?! Why are you here? What happened?"

Tony sighs as he stands, Samuel's query quickly forgotten by the arrival of the worried mothers.

"Calm down, Janine," he says soothingly, prying her off of Eddy, "Everything's fine…"

When Valerie spots Eddy, her eyes narrow. She purses her lips angrily.

"Oh, what a surprise…" she growls, "Of course _you_ are involved in this. I suppose I should not be surprised that my son would wind up in the hospital because of _you_."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Janine retorts, glowering at her.

"Do _not_ patronize me!" Valerie scoffs, "Whatever has happened here, it must be related to _your_ ill-behaved child and the horrible influence he has on my Eddward."

"Horrible influence?!" Janine guffaws, hands clenching into fists at her side, "You little—"

Tony grabs her arm before she can strike the other woman. Valerie rolls her eyes before glaring at Eddy.

"I do not want you anywhere _near_ my child," she dictates, "After everything you've done to him—"

"That is _enough_."

Valerie's startled by her husband's sudden outburst. He rises to his feet and approaches her.

"Outside," he demands, "There, we will discuss this as civilized adults, _without_ involving the boys any further." He lowers his tone slightly. "Eddward has been through _enough_ and I have no intention of upsetting him further."

Valerie gives him a concerned look.

"What are you talking about?" she asks, "What's happened?"

Samuel gestures to the door; "I'll explain everything. Just not here."

Valerie glances at Edd, hoping to find an answer in his expression. He's avoiding her gaze, head bowed contritely. Weakly, she allows Samuel to lead her out the door. Janine follows suit, per Tony's urging.

Once the door has shut and the boys are alone, Edd and Eddy wait in anxious silence for their mothers' response. They're both anticipating the worst, of course. In Eddy's case, he's expecting his own mother to react similarly to his father; disgusted, horrified, heartbroken. Edd's worries have been assuaged slightly with his father's response, but he has no idea what to expect with his mother. Her display in the room had made it quite clear that she blames Eddy heavily for all of this. How would she take this kind of news?

Moments later, he gets his answer. The door opens again. Valerie runs into the room and makes a beeline for Edd.

"Oh, Eddward!" she cries, as she throws her arms around him, clutching him tightly, "My poor, dear boy!"

To say Edd's startled is an understatement. To be embraced so tightly and so suddenly by his mother, who would rarely be outwardly affectionate towards him, it's shocking, to say the very least. For several moments, she sobs, clinging tightly to her bewildered child.

The other adults have entered the room as well, albeit far more silently in comparison. Janine is white as a sheet, horrified by what she's been told. She too has taken a seat on the bed and has taken to coddling her baby boy desperately. Despite this, she still hasn't spoken since entering the room again.

"_Mom!_" Eddy whines, "Put me down!"

She ignores him, petting his head shakily. Valerie releases Edd from the hug, gasping his face in her hands.

"Eddward, sweetheart," she sniffles, "I am so sorry for how I have treated you these past few days. I…I had no idea…Oh my poor, sweet child…"

Samuel observes this for a few moments more as Valerie sputters out half-formed apologies, barely able to articulate her thoughts. Eddward cannot respond either, too overcome with shock over his mother's hysterical reaction. Samuel places a hand on her shoulder.

"Valerie," he speaks calmly, "Take a deep breath and calm yourself."

She whips around to face him, releasing her hold on Edd.

"How can you _say_ that?!" she cries, "The abuses our child suffered at the hands of that…_monster_…How can you ask me to be calm?!"

Samuel sighs, taking her hand; "Because if you keep this up, you'll upset Eddward more…"

She glances at Edd, finding the boy shivering slightly. He'd longed for their attention, but he questions if their pity is acceptable. Valerie releases a whimpering sigh, petting his head.

"I am sorry, Eddward," she murmurs.

She glances at Eddy to find that the boy is now allowing Janine to coddle him. Despite his earlier protests, she supposes that he wants to be held. Guilt consumes her further. She'd spoken so cruelly towards him. Said such horrible things when he must surely blame himself already.

"Eddy?" she speaks softly. The smaller boy glances at her, brow furrowed uneasily. "I apologize for the way I spoke to you. Your father told me that you went to great lengths to rescue Eddward. I am…grateful that he has you as a friend. I…I was wrong."

She bows her head contritely. Samuel squeezes her hand, drawing her attention back to him.

"I've informed Eddward that he may spend time with his friends again," he explains, "I hope you'll agree that this is acceptable."

She nods; "Of course. I realize now how…petty it would be to separate them."

Janine nods at her; "Thank you, Valerie."

The larger woman sounds like she doesn't quite believe her, but is willing to accept even a forced apology such as that in this time. Emotions are high. Statements are quick to be made to defend and beg forgiveness. For now, it seems best to accept them while they have this fleeting moment of peace.

The group is startled from said moment by the door opening once again.

Doctor Fitzgerald has returned, offering them a comforting smile. He ushers the adults into the hallway, much to the confusion of the children. He informs the worrying parents that visiting hours would be ending soon and that they would like to keep Edd overnight. After Samuel had revealed that he had discovered Edd with a bottle of medication, Fitzgerald had found himself concerned about the boy's mental state. The Vincents are perturbed by this revelation, but ultimately decide it may, in fact, be for the best.

An argument initially breaks out between the grieving Vincents. A heated discussion about who should stay. It is decided immediately that one of them should return home. There are many preparations that must be made. Schedules to change, calls to make, research to do. They'll have to find a competent therapist and take much more time off work.

In the end, Samuel remains with Edd. Valerie had put up a fierce defense that _she_ should be the one who stays with their child. That, as his mother, she should stay and tend to him. However, she is shut down effectively by Samuel's argument that her emotions are already high. That he's concerned that Edd is shaken up badly enough as is and that her hysterical state may exacerbate his frazzled condition. Naturally, she had been most reluctant to agree, but eventually relented.

As anticipated, informing the boys is very difficult. Eddy is adamant about staying; he doesn't want to leave Edd again.

"But _dad_!" he whines, "Can't I stay too?"

"Absolutely not," Tony counters, "Family only."

"But Double D's more of a brother to me than _Terry_!" Eddy snaps back.

"That's not the point, Eddy," Tony sighs.

Eddy pouts, realizing he won't be getting his way. He glances at Edd and hugs him tight.

"I'll come back first thing, okay?" he murmurs into the other boy's ear, "And I'll see if Ed can come too."

Edd returns the embrace, smiling gratefully; "Thank you, Eddy…"

Prying the two away from each other proves to be just as troublesome, but Eddy and his parents finally leave the room. Edd's parents follow shortly after, so that Samuel may bid farewell to his wife, leaving Edd alone.

He sighs a bit, hugging himself for comfort. It's freeing, some, that it's out in the open, but he cannot quell the shame he feels. He questions what will come of this. What the future will hold for him now…

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><p>DuoXKouga: Read and review! And we'll see you in the next chapter?<p> 


	17. The Calm Before The Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Find**

_**Summary:**_** The Eds' encounter with Bro takes a dark turn as the savage sibling concocts a dangerous game for Eddy and Double D. The race is on for Ed, Eddy, and the kids of the cul-de-sac to save Edd from Eddy's brother. Friendships will be questioned. Sanity will be strained. Will the Eds be separated for good?****  
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_**Triggers include Pedophillia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Possible Dub-Con, Drunken Behavior, Alcohol Abuse, and Physical and Verbal Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**_

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><p><em>Author's Notes:<em>**  
><strong>

_DuoXKouga: Look! We did it! We finally did it! The two of us have finally accomplished what we originally set out to do! I don't think we expected it to be THIS long, but, hey! It's what it is!_

_Battygirl: Here we are. Final chapter. We hope you've all enjoyed this fic, even with our frequent delays in updating. Please leave a review and let us know what you think. We really do value your feedback. Thank you again for following us to this point. Enjoy!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: The Calm Before The Edd<strong>

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><p>Down the hall, a patient is resting and enjoying the numb of the painkillers that have finally begun to take effect. The throbbing in his head has finally begun to wane, allowing his foggy mind to clear again. A doctor enters the room.<p>

"Hello, Mr. Matthews," the physician greets in a perky tone, "I'm Doctor Caird. How are you feeling?"

"Weren't you just here?" the man sneers.

"Ah, you're lucid enough to remember," the doctor chuckled, "Sorry to repeat it. With how confused you had been before, I was worried it may have slipped your mind." He closes the door behind him. "But yes; I was just here. I apologize if it seems tedious, Mr. Matthews, but with a head injury as severe as yours, we have to check up on you frequently to ensure your condition is stable."

"Matthews…?" the man mumbles, looking confused for a moment as he rubs his forehead, "Why the hell do you keep —"

He stops himself as his memory comes back. That's right…The name he'd had that woman put down for him on that bullshit paperwork. Caird doesn't seem to hear him as he grabs the chart clipped to the end of the bed.

"I'm sorry?" he asks, still smiling, "Did you say something?"

"Ah…How uh…How long am I gonna be stuck here?" the disgruntled patient grumbles.

"I'm afraid I can't say," the doctor shrugs, "Lie back for me, will you?"

With a groan, the man lays back on the bed. Caird checks his pupils first, but continues speaking to him.

"You were very disoriented when you arrived, Mr. Matthews," he stops for a moment and turns the light off so he can make eye contact, "may I call you Ryan?"

"I don't care…" the man growls back.

With a shrug, the physician continues, checking for proper dilation in the patient's pupils.

"You should have come in a lot sooner," he advises, "When we studied that wound, it looked to be a couple of days old." He stands straight again to write down some information on the clipboard. "What kept you from coming in right away?"

The patient casts him a glare before schooling his expression again.

"Didn't think it was that bad…" he retorts, "At least till the headaches wouldn't go the fuck away…"

"Hmm…" Caird gives him a suspicious look, "Now that you're able to think a bit more clearly, may I ask what happened?"

With a sneer, the man averts his gaze to the wall.

"Got into a fight…" he answers vaguely, "Some little punk bastard caught me off guard and whacked me in the head with a tire iron…"

_And if I ever see that little red-haired anklebiter again, I'm gonna rip his fuckin' head off…_

"My goodness…" Caird turns to one of the cabinets, "You must've been fighting about something pretty important…"

The man grimaces again, an image crossing his mind. That of a bruised, battered child, full of fear, but ready to do anything he asked to avoid any further punishment. Gritting his teeth, Terry murmurs in response.

"You could say that…"

As Dr. Caird continued to check over him – his temperature, breathing, heart rate, and other bullshit Terry couldn't bring himself to care about – things were falling into place in his own mind. He ignored the small talk the good doctor was attempting to engage him in, choosing instead to reflect on what brought him here.

He remembers waking up in the woods by the trailer. Stumbling inside with intent on burying his frustrations in his new favorite toy. Finding the place empty. His head had been throbbing even then, making his thoughts unclear. His medicine gone, which only fueled his anger. He remembers how enraged he'd been, but also how concerned he'd begun to feel as time ticked away. Concerned that he couldn't stay there.

Grabbing what little he would need or what little he wanted. The plaid shirt, discarded in the bathroom. A small, plastic bag of clothes bought for someone else. The trinkets that had proven to be quite useful to him on more than one occasion. He still has the key to the handcuffs in his pocket. The very thought makes a smirk threaten to break on his face.

"…seem to be doing well," Caird's voice notes, breaking through his reverie, "We'll still want to keep you here overnight…To ensure your condition remains stable."

A shrug is the only response he receives.

"A nurse or I will come back to check on you again in a little while…" the physician informs him, setting the clipboard back in its place, "Until then, just get some rest."

As the doctor leaves the room again and shuts the door behind him, Terry groans and rolls his eyes. He'd tried so _damn_ hard not to come here…

Stopping by the park first. One of his coworkers owed him a favor and he'd taken him up on it. The more compact car wasn't necessarily to his tastes, but he'd found himself with little option. He debated whether or not to grab the trailer and had ultimately decided he wouldn't need it. He has enough spare cash from various successful swindles to last until he could score a new one. With that in mind, he'd snagged the barest of essentials from the nautical home before abandoning it.

After he'd finally arrived in Peach Creek and found a place to rest – some run down place near the cul-de-sac, but not too close – he figured the headaches would go away on their own. A couple of days passed, however, and he only faced the opposite. The headaches persisted. His body felt weak, making his movements sluggish. A fog had taken him, making him terribly drowsy as well. He could do nothing in this state. By the third day, he could take no more of it. He'd just barely managed the short drive here and he's quite sure his parking job around the back of the building – one of the few places that was virtually empty when he arrived – was sloppily done.

Now he's stuck here for the night. He curses his rotten luck, wondering how he'll be able to retrieve his stolen toy now. Lying back, he wonders if it's really worth all of this trouble. With a sneer, he quickly erases that question from his mind. That _hardly_ mattered. Pipsqueak had taken something that belonged to him and he intended to take it back. May the cost and effort be damned…

"_DAD! Can't I PLEASE stay?!_"

He furrows his brow at the sound of that familiar, grating voice.

"_I'm sorry, Eddy; visiting hours are over. We can come back to visit your little friend tomorrow._"

His interest is piqued as he recognizes the second voice as his own father's. _The hell are they doing here?_

Rising from the bed, he approaches the door. He hadn't been hooked up to any monitoring machines – his injury being just short of life-threatening – therefore, he could move around at ease. He peers out the window, spotting his family standing outside a door at the end of the hall. He'd been brought to a room at an intersection, one that faced another hallway of rooms in which his parents and younger brother now stood. He sneers as he regards them, their backs turned so they cannot see him. They always _had_ been too damn loud. Can't even stay quiet in a damn hospital…

Another couple steps out of the room to join his parents. Scrawny and annoyingly prim and proper. Neatly combed, black hair. Cleanly pressed business suits. The sight makes Terry grimace. _Couple of uptight asses…_Despite the distance and the overall proper dress of the two, he can see that they look a bit haggard. Both wearing forlorn expressions.

"But _dad!_" Eddy whines.

"No 'buts'!" Tony counters sternly, "We can't stay tonight. Your mother or I will bring you tomorrow so you can check on your little friend."

Terry cocks his brow, intrigued by their conversation. One of Eddy's little friends…

He opens the door just enough to hear more of the conversation while keeping his presence hidden. His mother turns to the dark-haired woman in glasses.

"You _will_ let my little Eddy visit tomorrow, won't you, Valerie?" she asks curtly.

Terry scoffs, shocked that even his mother's voice could carry so far. 'Valerie' bows her head contritely, brushing her hair behind her ear. She nods, muttering something Terry can't make out.

"See?" Tony grins, motioning to her before turning his attention to Eddy fully.

Eddy pouts a bit, but, for the most part seems to accept it.

The thinner man beside Valerie speaks up.

"You should all get going," he informs them, speaking clearly, "Visiting hours are almost over, after all."

Terry furrows his brow some, finding something familiar about the scrawny stranger. He catches a view of his profile, which makes the image click. He grimaces, recognizing him as the asshole he'd run into on his way in. His attention is quickly waning as he continues to observe them.

Never once does he worry that they'll spot him. They're all pretty distracted by their own business; eyes barely straying from each other or the floor. The elevator is in the direction opposite his room as well, so he has no reason to worry about them catching sight of him as they leave, either.

Valerie turns to the man beside her – her husband, if Terry cared to guess.

"Samuel," she speaks in a quavering voice, "I should really be the one to remain here with Eddward. He needs his _mother_ right now."

Samuel sighs, turning to her fully to say something comforting to her. Terry, however, doesn't hear it. He doesn't care to know what they're saying. A wicked grin creeps onto his face.

"So…" he chuckles, leaning against the wall and away from the window, "My little Princess checked into this shit hole too?" He licks his lips a bit. "That's interesting…"

A surge of pain pulses through the back of his head, making him wince. Even _with_ the painkillers numbing his body, the ache sometimes gets through. He grits his teeth. Maybe it's not as fortuitous as he'd initially perceived...Muttering a curse under his breath, he glances back out the window at the group still gathered at the end of the hall. _Fuck, how long does it take these assholes to fuck off?_

He glares in Samuel's direction, realizing that he shouldn't be too surprised that he'd be Edd's father. _Figures that tightass would be related to my little Sockhead Princess somehow…_Ignoring their tedious conversation, he instead focuses on the door they're standing in front of. He counts from the door nearest him. _One…Two…Three…Four…_Five. Five rooms away from his own and on the left.

Finally, Valerie and his parents, dragging little Eddy along as well, depart, the former waving farewell to her husband. Samuel's hand returns to the doorknob and he enters the room once more. Terry tenses as he watches the door shut behind him. Edd _is_ here, just beyond that door. He pictures it for a moment. That fragile form, scantily clad in a hospital gown. He wonders if the bruises are still visible on that tender flesh. If the brands symbolizing his ownership of that flesh can still be seen by those who bear witness to it. He bites his lip, feeling himself growing hard.

Shutting his own door all the way, he returns to the bed. No sense standing there. There's nothing he can do about this now. With Edd's father hanging around the boy's room, he can't very well saunter in and reclaim his stolen property. He lays back against the crisp sheets, his eyes unfocused as he stares up at the ceiling.

If he's remembering correctly, it had been about half an hour between being brought to this room and having Doctor Caird come back to check on him. Though his memory is very fuzzy, he knows it hadn't been terribly long. Half an hour seemed right. The physician had informed him he'd be coming back in 'a little while'. He could only assume that he or someone else would come back somewhere within that time frame. He glances at the clock on the wall near the ceiling, hoping to gauge how long it's been since Caird left the room. He imagines it couldn't have been longer than ten minutes. Fifteen, maybe…He groans at the inconvenience. To know his little princess is so close – just a few rooms away – and he can't take advantage of that. It's quite frustrating.

Taking a deep breath, he forces himself to calm down. As angry as he wants to be, he knows better than to let himself get too worked up at this time. The situation is delicate, to be sure. If Edd's parents had brought him to the hospital, it must mean that they have been made aware of what he'd put the boy through. That means it'll be that much more difficult to catch the kid alone and that he'll have to tread carefully when he's returned to the cul-de-sac again. He has to plan his next moves calmly, carefully, if he intends to get what he wants.

While he waits for his next visit from the medic, he attempts to distract his mind. Three days back home will surely have made the effects of his 'lessons' dwindle. He has a strong feeling he'll have to retrain his little princess once he's got a hold of him again. It shouldn't be too terribly difficult to bend the boy to his will once more. Edd's meek nature had made it simple enough the first time and the memories of his previous training should be effective in putting him in his proper place. He imagines it'll just be more tedious than anything, but worth it to regain the boy's complete obedience.

Ten minutes or so pass. The door opens, drawing his attention. He cocks his brow as a nurse enters the room this time. Young, with blonde hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Subtle makeup applied cleanly over her oval face. She flashes him a sweet smile.

"Hello, Mr. Matthews," she greets cheerfully, "How are you feeling?"

Terry looks her over, sizing her up as she grabs his chart from the bed. He grins a bit, relaxing a bit more against the bed.

"Doin' a lot better since _you_ walked in, darlin'…" he purrs.

She smiles a little, her cheeks turning pink.

"That's good to hear," she notes, laughing softly.

Similarly to Caird, she begins by checking his pupil dilation. As she stands straight to write down some information, he sits up a bit.

"Such a pretty shade of blue…" he notes casually.

She glances at him, looking confused.

"You're eyes," he clarifies, "Couldn't help but notice. Even _with_ you blindin' me with that little light."

Her blush comes back and she brushes her bangs out of her face.

"Well," she tries to compose herself, "Thank you for noticing…"

He chuckles some. As she continues to check over him, he throws out little compliments towards her, making her blush and giggle in response and wrapping her tighter and tighter around his little finger. It pays off when she turns to leave.

"So, doll," he begins as she looks over the chart, "When can I expect you again?"

She throws him a playful smile.

"Well, you're recovering nicely," she informs him, glancing at the chart every now and then, "Dr. Caird said that if your condition was improving as well as it has been, we could space apart how often we check on your condition…I'd say I…or, well, _someone_ will be back in about an hour or so. After you go to sleep, we also may have to wake you up from time to time, but I think your condition is stable enough that you should be fine for the rest of the night."

He grins, pleased as she sets the chart back in its place; "It's a date, then…"

She giggles; "Sure, we'll go with that…"

Waving at him, she exits the room again, still looking red. Terry scoffs. As simple as it had been to get an answer from her, he finds it to be a nice boost to his ego to have a cute girl fawn over him like that. He give a prideful smirk as he stands from the bed again. He makes a mental note of the time. 9:15. He has an hour to kill before the doctor or nurse would come back.

Crossing the room to the door, he gazes out the window. Counting the rooms until he reaches Edd's again. His eyes remain trained on that door, waiting for something to happen. He's quite positive that Samuel is still inside. Visiting hours had only _just_ ended and he's quite sure Edd isn't asleep just yet. No reason for the man to have left in that short time. But that doesn't mean he won't depart soon enough. Eventually, he'll have to leave the room again.

Minutes pass. He moves away from the door very rarely, if only to avoid being seen by a wandering orderly. But then it's right back to the door to keep a vigilant watch over Edd's room. It's nearly half an hour before anything happens.

Finally, a nurse approaches the room, entering without knocking. She disappears inside, drawing Terry to furrow his brow in confusion. Moments later, she exits again, looking solemn, but walking with purpose. Terry moves away from the door when she turns in his direction. He waits, anxiously, listening to the vague sounds of her muffled footsteps on the linoleum floor of the hall as she passes his room. He's back to the window to peer out again.

Nothing. He glances to Edd's room. The door's shut again, as though it had never been disturbed. He grimaces, wondering what could be happening now…

Ten minutes pass, at least, before the nurse returns. She has something in her hands, but Terry can't quite make out what. Back into Edd's room. The door shuts.

Terry grits his teeth, glancing at the clock every few moments.

Five minutes. No movement.

Ten minutes. Nothing.

Pushing fifteen minutes, Terry makes the decision to return to the bed, knowing someone will be back for _him_ soon as well. Before he does, he spots Edd's nurse finally leaving the room, looking relieved. Questions arise in his mind, but he offers no time for them as he reclines on the bed again.

The nurse from before returns a few minutes later, smiling sweetly at him. She's applied a bit more makeup, which he notices when she gets closer. He grins at her and shoots her a quick compliment to keep up appearances, which she drinks up.

The check-up follows the same routine as before. Nothing new regarding his condition. She informs him that they may not be coming back for a while now. That he should be fine for the night. Though she _does_ imply that they may wake him at some point in the night to ensure he can wake up.

Alone again, he's back at the door. A quick glance at the time reveals that it's nearly 10:30. He grimaces. _How long is that motherfucker gonna stick around?_ Eyes locked on Edd's room. His patience is quickly wearing thin.

Finally – fucking _finally!_ – after waiting roughly ten minutes more, he sees Samuel exiting the room, a set of keys in his hand. The nurse who'd wasted all that time in the boy's room is walking down the hall and spots him, greeting him in a cheery voice. Terry doesn't catch it at first as he opens the door just enough to hear their conversation.

"…need something, Mr. Vincent?"

Samuel shakes his head, turning to her fully. Terry ducks out of the window to avoid being seen by either of them as he listens carefully.

"Oh no, no," he replies in a weary voice, "I'm just going out for a few minutes for something to eat."

"Oh, well, we _do_ have our cafeteria downstairs," she offers, "Or we have a vending machine just down the hall if you don't need much…?"

He chuckles; "Well, thank you, but I'd much rather enjoy _real_ food, if you catch my meaning."

She laughs softly at his joke.

"I see," she giggles, "Well, I can't fault you for that…" Her tone changes some. "How is Eddward? Is he doing any better now?"

"Yes, thank goodness," Samuel sighs, suddenly sounding weary again, "The medication was quite effective; he's finally calmed down enough to sleep…Otherwise, I would probably take you up on that offer for the vending machine…"

Terry cocks his brow. Medication…Sleeping…He grins a bit. Things just got more interesting…

He peeks out the window, seeing the two still in front of the door.

"Either way, I know I have nothing to worry about," Samuel continues, "With Eddward asleep, I should be able to go pick up food and return without incident. And, even if one should arise, I'm sure you can handle it, yes?"

"Of course," she agrees.

"Then I leave him in your capable hands for now."

Terry rolls his eyes. _What a couple of saps…_

With that, Samuel turns, making his way to the elevator. The nurse continues on her way as well and disappears down a different hallway. Despite the intense urge for him to just _go_ to the room, Terry waits a few minutes more. Samuel doesn't return. The hallway clears. A quick glance at the clock. 10:45. The man would probably return as quickly as possible, leaving a very small window. He could allot himself, perhaps, half an hour at most. It wouldn't take Samuel long to find a restaurant (he's vaguely aware of the old diner about five minutes away). Though preparing whatever the man wanted to eat may take a bit longer.

With all that in mind and after double checking that the passage is clear, Terry opens his door.

His eyes are ever vigilant, darting around to keep watch for any wandering orderlies. With little incident, he slips into the other room. A rush of adrenaline courses through him as he locks the door behind him. He surveys the dark room for a moment before finally spotting the small figure bundled up in blankets on the bed. The steady rise and fall indicating a deep, contented sleep.

The predatory grin doesn't leave his face as Terry pushes himself off the door, approaching the bed. His fingers twitch some at his side as he stands beside the boy, itching to touch him, to snatch him up right there. He resists the temptation, instead placing his left hand on the bed on Edd's right, using it as support as he leans over him. Finally, his patience shall be rewarded. With his free hand, he pulls back the blanket to reveal his prize.

Drinking in the sight of the bruises still visible along Edd's neck and arms, faded though they are. He dares not remove the blanket completely. He doesn't need to see _all_ of them. Just the ones that matter. Dropping the blanket, he runs his fingers over the few hickeys he can still see.

He grimaces, cursing his luck again. So close. To be so _damn_ close that he can taste it but unable to do shit about it. It's infuriating, to be sure. But he's pushing his luck as is. He'd been lucky enough to be able to sneak into the room unnoticed, but actually leaving the hospital with the kid is completely out of the question. He eases up the pressure he'd been placing on his arm as the position grows uncomfortable.

There's that too…Because of his damn head injury, it'd be too difficult to evade the authorities who'd be quick on his tail. His body is too weak for that. He'll have to recover significantly before doing anything as strenuous as that. As much as he hates it, he has to wait. But that doesn't mean he's not going to enjoy himself for now…

He leans down a bit more so he can whisper into the boy's ear.

"Don't think I'm done with you just yet, sweetheart…" he purrs, tongue flicking out to tease the boy's flesh, "You still belong to _me._ And I'll be back soon enough to bring you home where you belong."

His fingers play with the hair at the nape of Edd's neck, lingering once or twice when they graze his soft skin. Little whimpers draw his attention to the boy's face, contorted slightly in discomfort. The grin comes back as he realizes that his words are, indeed, getting through.

He reaches into his pocket, retrieving the tiny key. To anyone else, it's a worthless trinket. Meaningless. To Edd…Memories flash in the man's mind of how good the boy had looked in the handcuffs. How helpless. He can't wait to see that again.

Glancing at the boy's face again, he places the tiny piece of metal into the hand resting languidly on the pillow beside Edd's head. The preteen has calmed slightly, his sleep undisturbed again. Terry moves the hat aside slightly. Brushes the hair back, revealing the scar to him. He's silent as he leans in, kissing the mark.

There's no affection in the act. As far as Terry is aware, he may not touch this flesh for a long time. He wants to enjoy feeling it under his lips again, if only for this short moment. But he cannot push it. More marks would be too suspicious. Something as chaste as this is, realistically, his only option at this time. He leans back into the boy's ear, tracing Edd's jawline.

"Wait for me, my little Princess…" he hisses, nipping his ear lobe.

A quick peck to the slightly parted lips. Another, lasting slightly longer. Just one more, tongue darting out for a taste. He bites back a growl, standing straight to curb his desire. He turns away, returning to the door. One last glance before he exits the room, leaving the boy behind.

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><p>DuoxKouga: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! And we will see <em>you<em> in the next fic! Buh-bye!

Battygirl: Yes, there will be a sequel. Can't say when. We have a separate fic we'd like to start working on right after this, but there _will_ be a sequel…at some point.


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